


Birds of a Feather

by ChaoticMind (ChloeCasey), Chloe Casey (ChloeCasey)



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Human Alastor - Freeform, Human Sir Pentious, M/M, Radios are very new, Sir Pentious is not to be messed with, disabled Sir Pentious, post Civil War America, so Alastor is a newspaper reporter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:13:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 75,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23332183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChloeCasey/pseuds/ChaoticMind, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChloeCasey/pseuds/Chloe%20Casey
Summary: Adam Walker: newspaper journalist, charming bartender, and also, in secret, serial murderer and cannibal, hiding in plain sight in the depths of Chicago. In the year 1869, he finds killing and murdering to be an absolute breeze, and finds himself picking and choosing his next meals out of the crowd like he was browsing for prime cuts of beef. One night, he thinks he might have found yet another potential victim. But then, he begins to meet the man known as Richard Brooks, and finds something just as intriguing, and just as sinister, lurking beneath...
Relationships: Alastor/Sir Pentious (Hazbin Hotel)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 102





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Small warnings for mentions of cannibalism, murder, assaults, and other illegal acts. Also a warning for post Civil War America; there are some references to slavery
> 
> This is a small exploratory concept that may or may not be expanded in the future. If you like what you see, make sure to let us know in the comments!

A little known pub, more a hole in the wall than anything else, is just as lively and rambunctious this evening as any others along the same street. Wooden tables and padded chairs line the walls and bar, about half full as the earlier rush starts leveling out. A few of the larger tables are taken by groups of card players, and the waiters regularly pass by for new orders, refills, and hot food. As the door opens yet again, bells chiming, one of the workers behind the bar, the one wearing a red button up and black suspenders, raises a glass he’s cleaning toward them and calls out, “Welcome to the Copper Fish! Sit wherever you like.”

Immediately came the clamor of the new group as they spilled in through the doorway, their words loud, almost hectic, but at the same time were anything but.

“Ooh, look at this place! It’s so clean and cozy!”

“I know, right? Looks like we picked a good place to catch a bite to eat. Good thing too, I’m _starving_.”

Adam couldn’t help but naturally take a moment to inspect the newcomers that were currently moving to spill in through the narrow doorway, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly, thoughtfully. There were two women, holding hands as they moved to step down from the last jutting step and onto the floor of the bar proper, giggling as they do so, though he didn’t know what exactly for. One of them had pretty blonde hair, done up in what looked to be a bun tucked away beneath a sun hat, while the other had brown hair, tracing down to her shoulders in thick curls. A man from the little group, one that appeared a touch more prim and proper with a thick mustache and bowler hat turned to glance at the two, huffing in what seemed to be astonishment. “Lily, darling, you said the same thing this morning when we had breakfast!”

“And I’ll say it again, Aaron! I don’t care!” The brown haired woman, presumably Lily, turns to snap toward the posh man, Aaron, with a sort of exasperation one only saw when around a man who truly could not keep his opinions to himself.

It was enough to get Adam to snicker a touch, even as he watched them from the other end of the bar, a glass still sitting in his hand. He gives them a glance over, but quickly dismisses all three of them; the posh man very easily seemed like the type to be easily spooked while also having some sort of gun on him, and the women already seemed a bit too loud and rowdy for his tastes. No no, they wouldn’t do.

All British, though. Or at least, something close, given their accents. The other bartender gives him a glance and nods, slowly working his way down toward the group and grabbing menus along the way. Adam sets the glass in his hands on a shelf and glances down to glance at the stock kept there. Nothing getting too low, yet. Still early in the evening, though. Hopefully someone worthwhile would come by soon enough for him to sell them on something 90 proof. He perks up as one of the already seated customers called his name. Another vodka and rum. A little bit of cherry juice this time. He smiles widely at the customer, cleans up a little, and then passes out from behind the bar to poke his head into the kitchen. The cook glances up at him, points at some baskets of fries rather than working against the loud sizzling of the grills. Adam continues to grin, takes the fries, and returns to the open bar.

It was then, as he moves to serve the fries to another table, that Adam catches more of the ensuing conversation from the new group that had just made their way in. One of the voices was a bit deeper, more clear, like a bell, thick with an German dialect that caught his ears. 

“Break it up you two, break it up. Will you two ever stop your little petty bickering? It is not time to be squabbling, it is time to be eating. We had a long day, everyone is cranky, so that means we eat.”

“I wasn’t trying to _bicker_ , Gunther, I was simply... _remarking_ is all.”

“We both know how Lily feels about your _remarks,_ Aaron. No need to... _Scheisse,_ how do you put it? Poking a bear with a stick?”

“Heheh! Nice! No worries, Gunther, you got it!” The voice of the other woman was heard. 

“Alright, Alright, I see your point.” Aaron was heard again, a touch exasperated.

Another voice was heard, this one different from any of the ones spoken before. This one also had a British sort of tone to it, though it was notably of a higher pitch, accompanied with a solid _thunk_ of something striking the wooden floor. “Alright, everyone, alright. Let’s try to pipe down a bit and keep any bubbling around to a minimum. I don’t want a repeat of Ohio and I’m pretty sure neither do any of you.”

Adam looks over as he slides the last fry basket in front of one of the card players. “Repeat of Ohio, huh? Traveling the states?” He tucks the serving tray under his arm and sidles over to the group, chuckling lightly under his breath. “I see you’ve met Thomas, but I’m Adam. Arguably the more popular server in these parts.”

The other bartender gives him an amused look. “Do not steal my customers again, Adam.”

He snickers. “No promises.”

The one who appeared to be Gunther, a rather tall-looking man with grey flecks in his hair, peeking out just beneath a newsboy cap, wearing what looked to be a button up long sleeve and a dull green overcoat, seems to grin, moving to take a seat at one of the open bar stools, nodding in greeting. “Good to meet you. The name is Gunther Hersch.” He turns idly towards the group and gestures with a hand to each one. “This here is Lily Golding, this is Christina Woods, this is Aaron Burke, and _this_ is Richard Brooks.” 

At said enunciated word, Adam finally catches sight of the last man in the room. He was a rather skinny looking fellow, a bit of a twig, wearing what looked to be that of a button up shirt, suspenders, and a black coat, complete with a bow tie. He was a bit on the paler side, the skin underneath his eyes looking a touch dark, as if sleep did not come easily, sporting a surprisingly long mane of black hair that flowed down to his shoulders and even a little down his back, ending in a precise, straight line. He wore sleek black gloves over his hands, clutching a thick wooden cane in one hand, and as he moved to walk toward the bar himself, there was a notable jolt in which his legs moved. As the so called Richard Brooks drew closer to the bar, his lips curl in a slight grin, displaying the slightest sliver of white teeth, that high pitched voice ringing out again as his eyes glance to Gunther, confirming him as the one who had spoken out before. “Heh. Why do you always introduce me last, hm? Am I that quiet? Do I just blend into the background for you?” He gives him a soft, playful tap on the shoulder with the hand that was holding the cane. 

Gunther lets out a bit of a chuckle at that. “Trust me, _you_ are the least quiet out of all of us.”

Adam chuckles and leans against the bar with a stool between them. They must have been overseas friends getting together for some fun nights on the town. And Richard Brooks... of them all, the most susceptible to a mysterious disappearance, when it comes to statistics. If his friends got a little too drunk and he stayed behind for some idle chat with a local bartender, only to not show up the next day.... well, certainly a few questions would come up, but ones that could be pushed aside with some feigned concern. With the way he leans on his cane and the counter, he wouldn’t be able to run very far either.

A tentative target.

“So what brings you all this way to the good ol’ Windy City?” Adam grins widely. “If you were looking for a breath of fresh air, I’m sure it nearly stole the Missus’ hat on the way here.”

Richard glances at him at that, moving to sit in his own bar stool, placing his cane down. “Oh, we’re just on a bit of a tour. Going around the states, seeing what there is to see. Take pictures and whatnot. That sort of thing. We obviously tend to travel around, and this is the first time we ever actually stepped foot in Illinois, and I must say, it’s quite the place. Definitely different from England, that’s for certain.”

“I can only imagine. I grew up hearing stories about fairies and witches and whatnot.” He shakes his head. “Not much of that here, but I will say the lake is rather nice in the summer months. If you find yourselves cutting your trip early, maybe you can swing by again, yeah?”

Lily rolls her eyes from a few seats down, though a pleasant smile lifts her face. “Americans always advertising to customers who are always paying.”

“Hey, I’ve heard about the floor to roof advertisements overseas.” Adam pushes up off the counter, gesturing toward her as he makes his way back around the counter. “You wanna see the elephant? Best to have a return trip. Honest advice.”

Gunther himself lets out a little bit of a chuckle at that, shaking his head for a moment. “Adam, yes? Would you happen to know if this place has any, uh, *specials* for the night? In terms of food, I mean.”

Christina chuckles at that, nodding. “Yeah, you got any menus in this place?”

“Yeah, Thomas didn’t get you any yet?” Adam glances down the bar, seeing a few more customers with menus. “My oh my, looks like I simply _have_ to steal his customers again.” He winks at them and pulls out a few menus, handing them out to them all. “The loaded fries are a _big_ hit here, along with the roast beef sandwiches. Freshly cut, moist, tons of gravy. Mwah!” He gives a chef’s kiss and grins widely again. “Plenty of fresh seafood, since we’re close to the lake. Fresh Wisconsin cheese on anything per request. Wonderful cakes and pies. Steaks are pretty good, but I’d order with extra pepper. Sometimes they go a little light.” He waves his hand a little.

“Ooh! Wow, all of that sounds great. Now I’m even hungrier!” Lily is quick to grab her menu, as is Christina, the both of them hunched over their own menu’s, though Lily is the first to glance up. “Wait, who’s paying this time?”

There was a bit of silence before Richard rolls his eyes and lets out a bit of a overdramatic sigh, his lips curling up in amusement. “Go ahead and order what you want. I’ll pay for it tonight. But that means it’s your turn next time, Lily, don’t you dare go trying to pull some skilamalink nonsense on me.” 

“I won’t, I won’t!” She waves a hand dismissively before glancing back toward the menu. “Hellooo, _appetizers.”_

“We need money for the train out of here, Lily.” Richard was opening his own menu at that, his eyes scanning over it for a moment before glancing back up towards Adam. “Any recommendations on drinks? Preferably non-alcoholic ones?”

“Oh, come on, Richard.” Gunther gives him a bit of a nudge with his elbow. “Why don’t you loosen up a touch, eh? You’ve been working hard these past few nights. You should relax.” 

He gives him a bit of an amused glance. “Ah, yes, and become even more wobbly than I already am. Brilliant idea there.”

“Hehehe. I’m being serious, you _witzbold.”_

“So am I.”

“We serve coffee, hot and iced tea, and milk, as well as cranberry juice, sparkling water, hot chocolate...” Adam leans back, ticking them off on his fingers. “...and cola. And we have cherry and lime juice for additives.” His shoes snap onto the ground as his hands close. “I think that’s about it for the non-alcoholic drinks. I personally prefer the coffee and cranberry, but I also have a bit of a strange pallet. Everyone loves the hot chocolate and cola.”

“Hmm...” Richard seems to think about it for a moment. “..Cola, please. With cherry.” 

Gunther hums a bit as well before answering. “I’ll take a glass of Iager, if you have that. If not, I prefer whiskey.” 

“Make mine a lime cola, please!” Lily raises a finger in the air.

Christina also raises a finger. “Two lime colas!” 

Aaron, sitting between both Lily and Gunther, merely sighs a touch. “Coffee, please.”

“Cherry cola, lager, two lime colas, and coffee.” He nods quickly and leans toward Aaron for a moment. “Don’t worry. We can always spike the coffee later on.” He slips back and pulls out three glasses, filling them with cola before pulling out the lime and cherry juices. “For whatever reason we only have lime slices in the back, but I will definitely get some if anyone wishes.” He hands over the colas and turns around for a lager glass with a hefty handle, entirely glass, and moves over to one of the spigots.

Richard merely takes his cola without any complaint, moving to give it a sip as he glances over the menu. After a moment, he glances back up toward Adam, watching as he fills up the glass. “Do you happen to know if this establishment holds any copies of the latest issue from the daily newspaper?”

“Twenty cents for one, but yes.” Adam caps off the mug of a glass and carefully brings it over Gunther. “Hopefully this one is as good as overseas. That’s what they advertise!” He chuckles and reaches under the bar, pulling out a folded newspaper and setting it in front of Richard. “Previews are free.” He winks at him, then points to Aaron. “Coffee coming right up.” He walks toward the kitchen, then pauses. “Cream or sugar?”

“Both, please. Thank you.” Aaron nods softly.

Richard moves to slip a couple of coins out of his clothes and onto the countertop, moving to grab the folded paper, immediately moving to the first page to start reading. “Hmm...”

Gunther smirks at him a touch, sipping his Iager. “What are you looking for?”

“You know what.”

“Heheh. Careful. We’re in public.”

“I’m aware of that.”

The kitchen doors swing as Richard scans the front page, seeing nothing until the bottom right corner with the headline, _Local Freight Derailed in Champaign County._ The blurb reads as, _“A train carrying industrial grade metals and mechanical parts was derailed by unknown means in Champaign County yesterday evening. After losing communication and missing its timely arrival in Garrethsville, an investigation was launched and the train was found in a forested area resting on a singular track. At least three fourths of the cargo has been reported missing and the train’s engineers have yet to be located.”_

“Found it.” He points to that particular blurb with a finger so Gunther could read it. He leans in for a moment, his eyes squinting a touch, before he leans back, sipping at his mug of lager once more, this time with a bit of a smirk. They both say nothing, and Richard moves to fold the paper up, placing it down on the counter as he picks up the menu again. “I think I might try the steak. What are you getting?”

“Those roast beef sandwiches he was talking about sound good to me.” Gunther chuckles a touch at that. “Quite the chipper _kind,_ don’t you think?”

“Hmm. I suppose I’d have to agree.” Richard smirks a touch at that. “Definitely a bit of a gigglemug.”

“Well, I think it’s rather nice to have such a happy young man serving drinks for once.” Christina half flips the page as Lily continues looking at the food she was done with reading. “They have some soups that look pretty good. Some French ones.”

The doors swing open again and Adam maneuvers around a waiter to bring Aaron his coffee. “Oh, French anything is great here. Highly recommended.“

Aaron moves to accept the coffee mug and dish, still glancing toward his menu. “Hmm...I think I might get one of roast beef sandwiches as well, Gunther.”

“I think I’m going to try the French Onion soup.” Christina nods to herself, moving to sip her cola. 

“Me too. And the loaded fries.” Lily chuckles a touch as she closes her menu.

“Good choices.” He looks over at Thomas. “Mind if I borrow your pad again?”

“At this rate you’ll be getting your own apron.” He finishes making a glass and holds the pad and a pen to him. “Don’t forget the prices this time.”

“That was one time.” He laughs and flips to a fresh page, writing down the list of drinks before looking up again. “So two roast beef sandwiches, two French onion soups, one loaded fries, and....” His pen swirls in the air and then points at Richard. “What may I get you, my fine gentleman?”

Richard seems to blink a touch at that, before regaining his composure with a soft grin. “The steak, please, with fries. Well-done, preferably.”

“Steak, with fries, well-done.” He jots that down, smiles at him, then the rest of the crew. “It’ll be right out.” He heads back toward the kitchen to put the order in.

Gunther chortles a touch at that, smirking to himself a bit. Richard glances at him out of the side of his eye. “What’s got you so giggly?”

“Oh nothing, nothing.” 

“It’s clearly something.”

“Nothing _you_ need to worry about.” He glances back towards the newspaper. “Does it say anything else about that train?”

Richard narrows his eyes for a moment but picks up the newspaper again, continuing to read. “Well, let’s see...”

There is a small note at the bottom of the blurb saying _”Cont. pg. 6,”_ and as he flips to the page, he instantly sees a photograph of the train with a half dozen police officers looking around it. The text next to the image reads, _“The_ Sunrise Express _was westbound for a metal working facility in Adams county before its abrupt change in course. Police uncovered evidence of swiftly placed tracks that had since been removed from the scene, likely placed in such a way as to steer the train off course. It is unknown who would rob a train, much less put use to such a large quantity of metal and mechanical parts, but the local precinct is currently awaiting further information from local and state transportation authorities on shipping manifests. Police are uncertain as to whether the engineers played a role in this theft of property or were taken hostage by the perpetrators. A similar incident was logged in Indiana where a freight train was derailed, lost more than half its contents, and later received a ransom note for its head engineer.”_

“Found it.” He hands the paper over to Gunther, taking a more proper swig from his cola. His expression was lax, absolutely calm, despite having read such peculiar robberies, and the hand resting atop the bar’s counter starts to idly trill their fingers, as if completely nonplussed.

Gunther’s eyes scan over the paper, before smirking a touch and passing the paper towards Aaron. “Get a load of this, you three. You’re going to want to.” 

Richard smirks a touch at that, only to see the doors to the kitchen open back up once more, Adam making his way back through. Their eyes meet, and for a moment, Richard swears he sees that man _smirk,_ and he watches as he proceeds to walk around the bar counter, right towards him. Adam takes a seat next to him and sets the notepad and pen on the counter in front of him for Thomas to pick up at his own convenience. He exhales and leans an elbow on the bar. "I really don't know how people do this all day. Standing all the time, running from place to place, numbers and names and faces. I could never manage it."

That gets Richard to stare for a moment, and Adam has to hold himself back from laughing at the utterly perplexed look on his face. How confused he seemed. It almost was cute. He turns to face him in his chair, cane forgotten, leaning against the bar counter. “Pardon me, but...That man you were talking to earlier said that you don’t have a waiter’s apron. Correct me if I’m wrong, but usually that would fall under the garb of an employee, correct?”

"Yes, indeed!" His head bobs several times, grin widening. "Poor Thomas has to carry everything around here. Even dignity. Most dignified man I've met up until this point-"

"Stop talking about me to customers, Adam. You're on your fourth, and I _will_ cut you off."

Adam doesn't even look at him, mouth hanging open as he takes in the words. "...Ignore him."

Richard blinks, staring once more, and he goes quiet for a moment. Then his eyes narrow a touch. “..So that means you don’t actually work here.”

He chuckles a little, shaking his head. "No. I don't. Probably _really_ strange for you, isn't it? Wonderful little charming thing about American capitalism. Willing to work for something that isn't money? More than likely someone is willing to take you up on it." He shifts in his seat, leaning back against the bar with both his elbows. "I'm a frequent drinker here, so I memorized everything and started talking people into the higher priced ones just by sitting at the counter here. Right where your sitting actually." He smirks. "Manager said I could get my drinks free if I kept it up."

“Is that so?” He quirks a brow at that. “Must be quite the talker if you were able to swindle yourself into such a deal like that.

"Oh, I have a way with words, sure, but I'd never say I _swindled_ my way into this position." He shrugs lightly. "Merely made known my capabilities as someone who grew up one street down from a major distillery."

"Hey, Adam?" Lily leans back from further down the bar, newspaper in hand. "Is your last name Walker?"

"Walker? Yes, that's me." His grin brightens. "Did you find my article?"

Richard blinks, then turns to glance at her with a raised brow. “Article? What article?”

"Oh, uh... just this little one about the trains." She hands it over to him. "Has his name at the very bottom."

"I'm an investigative reporter for the local paper, nothing huge." Adam waves a hand, chuckling lightly. "News always comes by the pubs in some way, you know."

Something in Richard’s expression seems to shift a touch as he turns back to face Adam, his hands folding together in his lap, his lips quirking up in a touch of a grin, and for a moment, something about it seemed strange, almost off. “Ah, a journalist, I see. Fascinating. So you were the one that wrote the report on the train robberies? I was just reading about that article in the paper. Such a dreadful thing to happen, isn’t it?”

"Oh, certainly. Can only be glad it wasn't a commuter train full of civilians." He leans his head back on his hand, trying to decipher the look Richard was giving him. He was almost smiling, almost smirking. Intriguing. "I hate to be that guy, but the silver lining for me is that it puts some coins into my pocket. Dreadful, but that's society these days."

“Oh, no need to be so morally guilty about that sort of thing.” Richard almost seems to wave a dismissive hand as he goes to pick up his glass of cola. “After all, it isn’t _your_ fault the train was robbed. Your job is to just show it off to the masses. And in an economy like _this_ , you do whatever you need to do to make money.” He takes of a sip of his cola, seems to pause, and then the smirk comes back. “Of course, what you _decide_ to do for work is none of my business either. To each their own.”

"Haha! I could say the same to you." He smirks back, eyes narrowing ever so slightly at the remark. Strange that the headline on the front page hadn't come up yet. "I'm not sure how England has been, but America's been stumbling as far as I can see. Can't entirely blame a fellow for diving into illicit deeds."

“Ugh. Don’t even get me _started_ on England.” Richard rolls his eyes dramatically, huffing as he plops his chin onto a hand, his other bringing his cola to his lips to sip. “It’s utterly dreadful, a completely different problem, fair, but still completely reprehensible. It’s nothing but industrialists and factories. People lopping off fingers and toes trying to work the damn machines only to be given little more than a single coin at the end of the week. It’s why I left, and to be honest, I don’t even know if I’ll even go back at this point.”

"Well, I'm sure you have _some_ fancy skill up your sleeve. If there isn't a business for it yet, make it yourself!" He tosses a hand up. "That's sorta how America works."

“Hm.” Again the odd smirk comes back, and it’s a touch bigger, showing off a sliver of those perfect white teeth. “Fancy skills, you say?” He chuckles a touch at that. “Trust me, I’m keeping that in mind, my friend. I’m planning to go big, just you wait.”

"Once you do that, come and tell me about it. I'll buy you a drink." His smirk widens. "Or get it for free. Who knows?" He tilts his head. "What are you planning, though? It sounds like you have an idea already."

“Heheheh...” The chuckle that rumbles from Richard’s throat is a low one, surprisingly low, almost deep, and the way it trails off from his lips to hang in the air with the same choking suspense as a raised knife is enough to almost be considered eerie, even sinister. There was a moment where the man doesn’t speak, merely taking a swig of his drink, and when his eyes lock with Adam’s own, they practically burn with a leering sense of glee, of excitement and anticipation, as if the man was holding back something truly diabolical. That was a look Adam knew quite well. He saw it in his own eyes every time he looked in the mirror. It was sadism. Vicious, raw, and conniving. 

“...Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Adam’s eyes narrow on him, a bit of his own deathly curiosity surfacing before he can stop himself. To anyone else, that laugh would have been arrogant, perhaps playful, but to someone with his skillset, who was already looking for a victim for potential murder.... That was confidence. Eagerness to succeed. Knowledge of past successes. All illicit in some sense of the word. He chuckles and grins at him, charming as ever.

“I dare say I would, my dear.” He lets his voice dip into that other octave, a bit more sultry than casual conversation, if only to covertly make it clear they were speaking the same language.

The grin on Richard’s face doesn’t even so much as twitch, though his eyes narrow a touch, as if trying to read his face, to figure him out and determine what the sound in his voice meant. He sets his glass down, resting his chin on a curled fist. “Well, I don’t think I could tell you, not yet, at the very least. After all, can’t go around spilling my secrets to everyone I meet; if I do, they’re liable to be spilled somewhere else. Some places that I’d rather not have them get to. Plans are best when kept unseen, as I’m sure you understand.”

"Oh, certainly! I simply can't help but be curious." Adam chuckles and flags Thomas. "Regular, please." He turns back to Richard. "If you're planning anything rebellious, you might find yourself in luck."

Every nerve in his body is telling him how dangerous it is going forward. His mind eats up the building adrenaline without a second thought.

“Oh?” That gets Richard to tilt his head a touch, and that grin widens, lips curling back to expose more of his teeth, and he chuckles right back, shoulders shaking as a laugh laces his words. “And what makes you say that?”

"Well, _aside_ from America being America, I can tell you that I've incited plenty of riots in my time." A glass of whiskey slides in front of him. "And I'm sure you know you've missed the war by only a few years, in case you want some idea to the potential scale."

“Heheh. Oh yes, the war has certainly left it’s mark on the landscape, hasn’t it?” Richard’s eyes glance toward the folded up newspaper, and he picks it up once more. “I’m honestly surprised the whole of the country hadn’t just collapsed in on itself. Certainly would’ve made things a touch more interesting, that’s for certain.” His eyes flick to Adam, and they narrow. “...Riots, you say?”

"Among other things." He takes the glass and sips from it. "I was born in Louisiana, after all. Confederates didn't appreciate having someone running about killing plantation owners, but everyone else sure did." He smirks again, chuckling under his breath.

That gets Richard to raise a brow in what could be assumed to be pleasant surprise, and his grin keeps it’s sharpened edge. “Ooh...Full blooded murder, eh? Not the type to get squeamish about getting his hands dirty. Quite the confidence to be telling something like _that_ to a random stranger, don’t you think?”

 _"Technically-"_ He holds up a finger, grin widening to show off all his teeth. "It was state sanctioned violence. Not _murder._ But I'm glad to hear a white man have the confidence to say it to my face." He takes another sip, still smiling, always smiling, maintaining eye contact the whole time.

“Hmm.” That gets the man to hum a touch, and he lifts his head from his fist to take a sip of his drink. “I have no room to talk about that sort of thing. I know when to keep my mouth shut. Never was involved in any of that rubbish, and as far as I’m concerned, I’m _glad_ I wasn’t.” He sips his drink again. “I myself was a mere factory worker before I came here. That’s how I ended up with this little thing.” He sets his drink down to reach behind him, turning back around to lift his cane off the ground ever so slightly.

"While I don't necessarily agree with the idea of standing idly by, I can certainly understand the difficulty of circumstance." Adam brings his glass up and clinks it against Richard's. "To hopefully burning capitalism to the ground and beyond."

That gets Richard to blink, his grin dropping momentarily, before he lets out that soft, deep, sadistic chuckle once more, and he nods. “To burning capitalism to the ground and beyond.” He drains the rest of his cola with a swig, and after it’s empty, he finally holds up the paper for Adam to see. “I do have just one question for you, though. About the train robberies you’re reporting. Do you only report the ones that happen in this state? Or the ones in others as well?”

"I've been trying to push the stories on Ohio and Indiana, but no one's taking the pitch." He shrugs and takes a hefty swig of his alcohol. "So I suppose the answer is both yes and no."

“Mm...” He places the paper back down on the counter, his grin practically curling across his cheeks. “...Then I suppose you’ve never heard of the train known as the _Steel Dragon,_ have you?”

" _Steel Dragon..._ Hmm... No, I don't believe so. Should I?" He sets his glass down, and one of the other waiters slides in front of them to start handing out dishes.

“Heheh. Oh, it’s the pride and joy of Philadelphia’s train operations. It does all kinds of shipments, from cargo to passenger, and some say that it even made it’s way across the West, toppling mountains as it went, spearheading the whole “Manifest Destiny” craze. That’s how it got it’s name, you see; people used to talk of how it was the best train that ever was crafted by human hands, that it was a monster of fire and metal that was forged and tamed by the ’American spirit.’” He snorts a touch at the last words, rolling his eyes in amusement.

"Ah, that one! I never quite cared for the Manifest Destiny business. Sounds like excuses to me." Adam's eyes flick to the steak as its placed in front of Richard, amusement momentarily filtering across his face. "So I take it you were on this train at some point? Or merely heard stories about it?"

“Oh, I’ve merely heard the stories about it, never got a chance to see it properly up close.” He chuckles a touch at that, leaning back a touch to cross one leg over the other. His grin was as wide as ever, his teeth on full display, and his eyes narrow, making direct eye contact. “It was found last year, halfway to it’s destination to Washington. No engineers or guards or passengers were ever found. Not alive, anyway. The engine was little more than a warped pile of molten scrap and ashes. The rest of the train, from the passenger cart to the caboose were found scattered about, upside down or on their sides, stripped of their hides, of their valuables, everything that could be broken and taken away. The tracks were completely obliterated, splintered into pieces and scattered amongst the wreck, and the ground had been dented into a crater, around 30 feet wide, 5 feet deep.” He pauses for a moment, as if waiting for a reaction, his eyes glimmering with a deep, cunning satisfaction. “Reports have no true idea what happened to the vessel. But all can agree on one thing; somehow, the entire structure of the _Steel Dragon_ had been decimated in one foul swoop, flung from the tracks and sent sailing through the air as if it had been knocked aside by a horrific beast. Whoever struck the train had managed to crush it, with little more than a _single blow.”_

"Oh, really?" Adam considers his words, the look on his face, and that feeling of danger and adrenaline comes back to him. If the message had been received, and he was reading this properly, then he had to assume that the growing smirk meant Richard not only _heard_ about this story but had an active hand in making it. He swirls his glass, watching him, and actively bats aside the thought of dinner. Perhaps this man was more interesting than that. "In my experience, that amount of damage almost sounds like artillery rifles, if artillery rifles were more explosive and monumentally larger."

“Perhaps. But I’m quite positive I’ve never heard of any such weapon that could cause a train to go _flying_ off of it’s rails before. Nor have I heard of a weapon that could cause such a mighty train to be torn to pieces from the ensuing blast.” He tilts his head a touch, ever so slightly, and his smile, that wicked smirk, begins to curl into a barely contained grin. “Have _you,_ my friend?”

He matches his grin. "Only in dreams, I'm afraid. Though I imagine someone could make it, hypothetically. Said individual would have _quite_ the head on their shoulders, I'd say. I'd like to meet them someday."

“Heheheh..” That chuckle comes back, just as low, just as subtle, dripping with sadism. “Oh, I’m sure I would as well.” He tilts his head to the other side. “But what about you, my friend? Your stories and reports, I mean. I’m sure not _all_ of them end up reaching the public. What would you say is the best one you’ve ever read about? Or written about?”

"Oh, my best one? Read or written?" He hums, momentarily looking off at the wall of alcohol bottles across from them. "Last year's disappearances in Indiana. One of my works, obviously." He fakes tipping his hat at his own pride. "Six... Seven people go missing in four months, only for their mutilated corpses to be discovered in a forest cabin missing massive amounts of flesh and organs.” He sighs lightly, as if losing himself in a small reverie.

Thomas looks over at him as he hears the last part of the sentence, expression twisting into disgust. “Not at the bar, please.”

“Sorry! Sorry.” Adam jumps and laughs, pulling himself back into the present and emptying his glass. “Definitely starting to get a little tipsy. Apologies.”

Richard’s expression doesn’t even seem to be fazed, the frame of his smirk losing some of it’s intensity as he listens, though at Thomas’s remark, his eyes narrow a touch, and a curious glimmer seems to shine in his pupils. “How _ghastly,_ I must say. Any suspicions as to the motive? Or who killed them? Or as to why?”

“No clue as to who.” He smirks at him, leaning his head on his knuckles. “High grade equipment, though. Marks of cutting into the bones.” He lowers his voice a little as Thomas gives him a glare. “There was _some_ evidence of the removed flesh being stored for potential later use, but nothing beside that.”

“Potential later use...” The words passed by Richard’s tongue as if he was trying to decipher the meaning, and after a moment, his grin grew just a touch, as if to indicate that he had deciphered the hidden code. “Mm. Quite abhorrent. And to think that such a person hasn’t been found yet. Hasn’t been identified.” His voice too dips a touch lower, eyes staring right into Adam’s own. _“Makes you wonder where they are right now.”_

He can’t help but chuckle, the sound much more rich and quiet, more decisive than the earlier, louder laughter he had shared with the rest of the group. “It’s been quite some time. Whoever was behind it is _probably_ long gone since then. So sad the coppers couldn’t put an end to it all and get closure for all those families.”

“So sad, indeed. Such a shame. And I bet this killer of theirs is completely and utterly ruthless. Devoid of mercy or remorse. Sounds like they’re going to have a hell of a time catching them. If they catch them at all, that is.” Richard’s grin doesn’t so much as twitch.

“Oh!” Adam leans forward slightly, as if startled upon remembering slightly. He laughs a little. “I forgot to mention the part where this killer went and left little breadcrumbs _leading_ the police to the cabin. Utterly ridiculous. Started after the third victim. Continued for a month.”

“Oh?” He tilts his head, a brow raised. “Breadcrumbs you say? What a bold move. Incredibly risky. What kind of clues did they leave, exactly?”

“Oh, the usual. Belongings of the previous victims, a few ciphers, a letter to the police precinct telling them to step up their game.” He taps a finger on the table, thinking about whether or not there was anything else worth mentioning. “That’s everything the police publicized, at the very least.”

“I see. How interesting.” He chuckles a touch at that, still smirking. “Sometimes you think the world is getting a bit too dull and then gruesome murders come out of nowhere and knock you over the head with reality. I find it to be rather refreshing.”

“Just goes to prove that a single person can pull the rug out from anyone at any time, doesn’t it?” He stands up, holding his glass. “Would you like another cola? I could get you something stronger if you want.”

“Hmm...” Richard’s face loses a bit of the smirk at that, contemplative, before he nods. “I think I’ll have a glass of wine, if that’s alright. If you have any.”

Adam winks at him. “I always keep some of my own stock here.” He rounds the bar and slips past Thomas to pull out a more elegant, thicker bottle. He tosses his used glass aside to pull out two wine glasses.

Richard can’t help but smirk at that, though it was a notably less sadistic grin, and more of one of plain amusement, finally glancing down toward his food, picking up his silverware to start cutting into the steak. “I appreciate it. I don’t tend to drink much, I’ll have you know.”

“Oh, of course. No pressure. One glass of this is enough to simply mellow out a little. Nothing close to a buzz, I promise.” Adam pulls the cork (already loose) from the top of the bottle and pours just below half of the glass. “Petite Sirah, straight from California. Would anyone else want any?” He holds up the bottle to the rest of the crew.

The rest of Richard’s group, who had already received their meals and were busy eating, all looked up towards him at that. Gunther was the first to speak up, shaking his head softly. “No thanks, I’m good with what I have.” He gestures at his mug of Iager. 

“I don’t drink at all, I’m afraid.” Aaron holds up an impassive hand.

“I’m good for now. Had to deal with a hangover two days ago and I don’t want to deal with one again.” Lily chuckles a touch at that.

“Same here!” Christina laughs a bit louder at that.

“Very well. Can’t say I didn’t try.” He flashes them all a grin and stashes his wine behind the counter again. He rounds the bar again and resumes his seat before taking a sip of his glass of wine. “I want it to be known that it’s very rare for me to drink wine.”

“Oh really?” That gets Richard to raise a brow as he takes a bite of his food. “What kind of drinks do you normally partake in, then?”

“Whatever hard liquor I can get my hands on, honestly.” He grins widely. “Whiskey, vodka, gin. Basically, anything that can be set on fire, haha!”

“Ah, you go for the harder stuff, I see. Never was one for that sort of drink. I suppose in that respect you could call me a bit of a cat-lap.” He chuckles at the remark.

“Oh, I don’t blame you or anyone else one bit. My tolerance is merely-” He whistles and mimes an arrow shooting toward the roof. “Iron walled.”

“I see.” He smirks at that, seeming to be amused as he moves to take a sip of his own wine. “How long exactly have you stayed in Chicago? You said earlier that you were born downer south, so I’m a touch curious as to how long you’ve been here. If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Oh, I’ve been here for... maybe eighteen months. Technically longer, but that’s only because of traveling over the years, you know how it is.”

“Ah, I see. I merely arrived in Chicago yesterday, as a matter of fact. The last state I happened to be in was North Carolina. It was a bit of trek, as I’m sure you can imagine, but it’s been worth it so far.”

“I certainly hope so.” He chuckles and sips at his wine. “Anywhere you’re heading off to in a hurry? Or are you all keeping things flexible?”

“Hmm..We may stay around for a few more days in order to take in all of the sights and whatnot.” He sips at his own wine as well, before taking another bite of his steak. “What about you? You planning to stay here for a little while longer? Or are you deciding to head somewhere else soon?”

“Ah, that depends on my day job.” He rolls his eyes a bit and sloshes his wine about his glass. “I’m not particularly the type to stay in one place, and my editors aren’t taking me seriously, so....” He shrugs. “Not sure where I’d be going, but the thought of leaving has been hanging about.”

“I see.” He nods a touch at that, a glimpse of a grin growing on his lips as he takes another bite of his food. “I’d tell you to be careful in case that butchering murderer finds you out on the road, but something tells me that you wouldn’t need such words.”

"I'm fairly certain a veteran of my young and agile age would easily come out relatively unscathed in such an encounter." He chuckles through his words. "There have been a few missing people's reports, though I doubt it's the same individual. Nothing connects them anyways."

“Ah, I see. How troubling for the mutton shunters.” He chuckles a touch at that. “Bet they must be sweating in their boots.”

"Not at all, actually. Although one person, ah..." Adam glances at Thomas and lowers his voice again. "One person was discovered with only one head and arm. Seemingly an animal attack. Bears."

“..Oh, really? In this very city?” He puts his fork down at that, leaning towards him ever so slightly with his hand on his cheek, smirking.

"It's actually not so rare here." His grin turns incredibly pleasant at the look he's receiving. "Plenty of wildlife we've accidentally quartered in with all our buildings. And I'm sure you saw some of the parks, a few even in progress."

“I can imagine. But to think that a bear could’ve just done away with a whole corpse. Must be quite the beast to do something like that.” His eyes narrow a touch.

"I'm not a specialist on bear diets, but I wouldn't be surprised." He blinks innocently. "And it could be that there's more in the woods to find."

“Very true. Not like animals to hide bodies, so perhaps they’ll find the rest soon.” He sips his wine at that. _“Perhaps.”_

"I'm keeping an eye on it, out of habit." He shrugs lightly, one of his feet bobbing listlessly. "Quite a lot of missing people's reports to keep track of, though. Happens a lot in the cities."

“Heh. I can imagine.” He sips at his wine again, going quiet for the moment. “Never had to deal with many of those myself back in England. But I imagine it’s just a touch different here.”

"America is always in a state of constant panic and near collapse, we just have quite the habit of ignoring it." He smirks sardonically. "On that note, I've been working on quite the project at my residence regarding all the missing people. Maps and everything. This might be a bit forward, but if you'd like to come by, I wouldn't mind showing you my current progress."

“Oh?” He tilts his head at that, smirking a touch. “A project? How fascinating.” He sips at his wine again, before moving to pick up his cane, pressing it down on the floor. “Consider me intrigued.”

"It's just a little something I thought I'd offer since you've been so kind as to listen to me ramble." Adam runs a finger over the lip of his wine glass. "You seem rather interested in my journalism, and I find you a rather interesting man as well. I'm certain I could find more questions to ask along the way."

“Heheh. Very well, my friend. I accept your offer. One moment.” He moves to place his one bent leg back on the ground again, leans into the grip of his cane, before slowly moving to stand, the cane seeming to wobble just a touch before he straightens, taking a moment to adjust his clothes before he does so. He turns to face Gunther, who was now staring at him, and flashes a bit of a grin. “You four can go ahead and have the rest of the night off without me. I’ll see you back at the inn.”

Gunther, whose eyes flick to Adam, then back towards Richard, smirks a touch. “Heh, whatever you say.”

Lily leans back on her stool to glance at him, frowning. “You sure you’ll be ok? How do your legs feel?”

“They feel absolutely fine, Lily, no worries. I know my limits by now and I haven’t reached them yet.” He takes out what looks to be a wallet and places it in Gunther’s hand, glancing at him. “For the meal.” He glances back up at Lily, narrowing his eyes. “Don’t go spending it on anything else.”

“Hehe. I hear you, I hear you. Don’t get your sauce box all sore.”

Adam eyes Gunther and the look he's giving him, trying to decipher it for a moment, before taking another sip of his wine and glancing over at the others. Aaron didn't seem to be listening much, continuing to munch on his sandwich, while the two women, Lily and Christina if he remembers properly, roll their eyes and snicker to each other at Richard's comment. He takes another swig of wine and raises a brow. "You wanna leave now? Eager, aren't you?"

“I was never much for nanty-narking in taverns and bars, if you can believe it.” Richard turns his head back to glance at him with a bit of a smirk. “Besides, I feel like stretching my legs a bit. I could use the exercise.”

"Entirely fair." Adam grins and finishes his glass of wine as he stands. "I can only imagine Thomas is very glad we're moving the journalism talk outside the bar. I'd hate to put more weight into those pockets of his." He chuckles as he's given a small glare.

"Just don't go falling into the street again."

"I haven't had that much." He waves a hand and pushes away from the bar.

“Heh.” Richard can’t help but chuckle a touch at that, moving towards the exit, his cane thumping against the floor with every other step, moving to open the door, standing aside to let Adam walk out first. “Lead the way, my friend. You know the city streets more than me, after all.”

Adam skips after him, waving goodbye to a few of the customers that had been in the bar the entire time. As he nears the door, he grabs a dark red coat from a nail in the wall and pulls it over his shoulders. "Of course, my dear." He squeezes past him and out onto the sidewalk, swinging his arms and taking a deep breath of the city air. "Ah. Nothing like a gentle breeze to soothe the soul."

Richard moves to step out onto the streets as well, and though he shivers a touch at said breeze that blows by, the smirk still resting on his lips doesn’t seem to fade. “Certainly much more different than England, that’s for sure. Much less cramped. Much less _confined._ A welcome feeling, to be sure.”

"You should see the inner city if you haven't yet. This is still the fringes." He gently puts a hand to Richard's back, guiding him down one side of the street before letting his arm slide away. "But yes, it's much more free up here. Not as many gumshoes either. But still quite the city." He laces his hands behind his head, grinning widely. "It may be a little bit of a walk, by the way. I hope that's alright by you."

“I’m sure I’ll be fine. I can stay on my feet for a good few hours before I need to drop, no worries.” He waves a hand in an almost dismissive manner, flashing a grin that almost seems more cheeky.

"Of course, how dare I insinuate otherwise." He half bows as he continues to walk, chuckling just as snarkily. "Don't hesitate to tell me if I need to slow down, though. I have a tendency to outpace most people by accident, and I'd hate to lose you in a city as vast as Chicago."

“I’ll be sure to give you a little tap with my cane if you do happen to lose me, then. Trust me, it would be a lot better than whatever Lily would do to you.” He chuckles a touch at that. “So, now that we are out of the ears of one disgusted bar waiter, what exactly shall we discuss this time? Feel free to ask questions if you wish; I never had the opportunity to...” He pauses, a hand wriggling his fingers, as if trying to find the right word. “...expose my more illicit deeds.”

"Well, I suppose the obvious one is how many have you done? Freights, that is." Adam turns around, walking backward into the wind. "I imagine it takes quite some time, but someone like you... A little less, if I'm not mistaken."

“Heh.” He smirks at that, the wicked gleam of sadism starting to glimmer within his eyes. “Counting the latest report about the _Sunrise Express?_ Around 8. The _Steel Dragon_ was my most ambitious target, and as I’m sure you can imagine, it went off without a hitch.” He chuckles lowly, smirking, his cane hitting the ground a bit more forcefully. “So far, none have been able to identify us, and even if they do, well..” He gestures to his cane by giving it a wiggle. “I’m practically blameless.”

"Anyone with the heart to blame such a poor soul as yours simply doesn't have one to begin with." Adam smirks, his teeth almost glinting in the dim light of the streetlamps as sarcasm drips from his voice. "That's quite a few, though. Do you stick to schedules? I tend to, if only to avoid spoilage. Usual is once a month, fast track once a week. At that point it's just to cause a little chaos, you know. Or when I need a few extra papers printed." He rolls his eyes. "I don't even know why I bother with rent."

“Oh no, we mostly tend to stick to one or two freights in a single state before moving on. Too many crashes and freak ambushes in a single area and they could start narrowing you down and trapping you in.” He glances toward him, eyes narrowing as he smirks. “I imagine you travel for similar reasons?”

"When the mood strikes me." He shrugs, his grin growing. "I stay until the bulls come out asking questions. No one's ever gotten quite close, not on their own at least." He looks over his shoulder and starts veering around the corner of the block. "You're the first person to know anything even remotely close, if I'm being honest. Well..." He glances at him, something predatory coming to his gaze, a darker, more serious glint to his ever-present smile. "First one I'll let live, that is."

He can see the way Richards’s gaze changes, sees the way that his eyes widen for just a split moment, his grin dropping ever so slightly before he regains his own composure, and he chuckles softly at that, his cane clacking against the ground as his eyes narrow, staring right into that icy glare with an almost challenging glint to his pupils. “I could say the same thing about you.”

"After those four companions of yours, of course." His grin turns lopsided, pleased, as if he had fallen into a trap of his own making. "One of the few reasons I'm any bit hesitant to handle you any less friendly. Random foreign couples? Simple. Five all having a good night on the town? Less simple. Besides, you intrigue me. Richard is far too average a name for someone like you."

“Heh. I see. Well, to be perfectly honest, while it is my real name, it’s not the only name I go by, of course. You could say I have a bit of a _stage_ name as well. I only ever use it when we’re executing a heist, though, and even then...” His own grin gains a touch of an edge. “Not like there are any people left to hear it.”

"Smart. I like that." He chuckles, bringing a hand to his chin and narrowing his eyes on him again. He's looking for something in him, though he's not sure what. He takes a breath to say something, holds it for a moment, then lets it out with his next words, "I think that newspaper saved your life today."

That gets Richard to raise a brow, his grin finally falling into that of a slightly puzzled frown. “Hm?“ He blinks, and then recognition seems to fill his gaze, and the frown falls away entirely, and he simply stares at Adam for a moment or two. “..Oh.” There was a slight pause, before the man’s face suddenly twists back into a grin, and he actually lets out a bit of a chortle, shoulders shaking a touch as he does so. “Hahah! Well, I have to admit, I’m certainly glad you changed your mind! I don’t think I’ve ever met someone as willing to be so blunt with the truth before!”

"Well, you caught me in a good mood, and five whiskeys in." Adam laughs with him, spinning on his heel to walk properly and falling in beside him. "Be glad it's Friday and not Tuesday. I always seem to be in a bad mood on Tuesdays."

“Trust me, I appreciate the honesty; good to know that you officially changed your mind and whatnot so I don’t have to worry about my throat getting slit.” He gives his cane a bit of a soft twirl at that. “If honesty is what we’re going for, you don’t have to worry about anything from my end either. You seem like a decent fellow when it comes to keeping illicit secrets, and I doubt you’d be the type to run to the pigs to collect the bounty anyway. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no harm in letting you know the true identity of the Noblemen mastermind.” He too dips into a bit of a bow, one hand splayed on his chest as he does so.

"I feel honored." Adam chuckles at the gesture, looping his arm into Richard's as he straightens. "Noblemen. The name hasn't got here yet, but I'll be sure to remember it for when it does." He raises a brow as a thought comes to him. "Did you start in England, or only when you got to the States?"

For a moment, Richard’s whole frame seems to tense up, and his grin actually seems to fumble before it regains it’s structure, his cheeks starting to gain a visibly pink tint. He lets out a bit of a giggle at that, shaking his head. “O-Oh no, we only actually started the whole heist operations when we came over to America. Couldn’t risk it in England; while no one knew my identity, my weapons had already left enough of a mark to get the police all but crawling in every single street.” He chuckles a bit louder. “I may have blown up a whole building, believe it or not. Killed about 30 people.”

"Ooh." Adam perks up at that, looking a little impressed. "Thirty people in one go? Even I haven't managed that. Though my count is definitely more than that. At least three times. Probably more. Not all for sport, of course. But a whole _building?"_ He shakes his head, whistling. "I guess that explains the _Steel Dragon."_

“Would you believe me if I said that it was a bit of an accident? Not the _Steel Dragon,_ but the building?” His shoulders shake a touch as he chortles to himself. “It-It’s a bit of a funny story. See, the weapon I was working on was meant to act as an explosive, kind of like a stick of dynamite but much more compact, much more *intense*, meant to fit into the palm of your hand.” Richard briefly lifts up his hand and wiggles his fingers to demonstrate. “The explosion was only meant to be about the size of a carriage, but I think something happened with the pressurized gunpowder, because it somehow ended up twice as big, and it detonated right at the base of some seamstress department. Th-The whole thing came crashing down in the middle of the night like a stack of cards! Y-You should have seen it!” He chortles a bit harder, his laugh turning into a bit of a wheeze.

Adam chuckles softly, watching him laugh. The sound reminded him of his own, if he ever let himself be louder than necessary and generally had a higher pitched voice. "I wish I had seen it myself."

“Oh, I’m sure you would’ve had an absolute riot. Oh, I was absolutely mad as hops when I heard about what that explosive did to that building. Such destruction, such carnage, it could have lead to so many great things in England alone. Hehehe...” His chuckle fades a touch, and he shakes his head, though his grin doesn’t fall. “Oh, but poor old Darian just couldn’t see the light. Couldn’t see what I saw.” He glances toward Adam, eyes glimmering with a sort of dwelling satisfaction. “He was the old boss of the Noblemen group. Right before I put a bullet in his head, anyway.”

"Ah, usurping the previous order, I see." He leans a little closer. "Did any of the others feel offended about the move? I could always take care of them if you want them gone, you know. I can be quite quiet, I assure you."

“Offering up your services already, are you?” A cocky smirk, before he shakes his head. “No no, I managed to convince all of them that I could help them gain better riches and the sort if they chose to follow me. Couldn’t have simply kicked Darian out though; I had been selling him my weapons for at least a year by that point. I knew he would’ve gone to the cops and probably tell them the whole thing right then and there if I had let him stay alive. So he had to go. That, and I didn’t exactly take kindly to him cutting off our deal like he did.” He shakes his head, grin dropping into a scowl. “Idiot starts a gang of criminals trying to assassinate factory owners and yet one little building crashing down has him all squeamish. Pathetic.”

“Definitely a bit odd. You’d think he’d be desensitized after a few times. Only took me once, haha!” He grins widely and points toward a small house. “That’d be mine. I have more wine inside if you want any. But I’d love to hear more about the weapons you make. Ooh, and we could trade notes on methods!” He giggles a bit more, either honestly eager about the ideas or letting the alcohol hit him a bit more visibly.

“Heh. A little more wine does sound nice, though I’m not sure how well our own _methods_ would mesh together.” He chuckles a touch at that as they near said establishment. It looked far from deformed or impoverished, though it wasn’t exactly dripping with wealth at the same time either, looking like it did it’s task of being unassuming quite well.

Adam pulls his arm out from where it’s looped through Richard’s and fishes his key out from one of his pockets, sliding it into the lock and pushing the door open. “Oh, trust me, we’ll find _some_ common ground. I was in a war, after all. Tactics was one of my things.” He leads him inside, pulling a matchbox from one of his other pockets and lighting a candle left on a small table next to the door.

“Oh, I’m sure we will.” Richard chuckles softly, taking a moment to examine the living room surrounding them. It looked rather cozy, with a soft fabric couch and two pillows, a coffee table, a fireplace, and even a bookshelf full of a few novels. Certainly not what he was expecting from the abode of a serial killer. He can’t help but smirk ever so slightly as he walks further into the room. “Quite the lovely place you have here. Surprised your furniture isn’t made out of skin.”

“You know, I considered that at one point, but someone talked me out of it,” he says, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “I know more about what normal people like than normal people themselves.” He walks over to the coffee table and lights two candles sitting on either end of it. “I’ll be right back with the glasses. We can chat in here.”

He wanders off, leaving Richard to observe the room. It really is incredibly normal, though the longer he looks at it the more he feels like something’s off about it. Everything was too neat and well kept for someone working two jobs alongside a hobby of murdering. Most people wouldn’t have time to keep everything so organized. And is it him or is the bookshelf almost perfectly symmetrical? He narrows his eyes ever so slightly, and after a moment, he moves to sit down against the couch, moving to rest his cane against his lap, a fist coming up to cradle one of his cheeks. It certainly was strange, to think that he would’ve met a man so unhinged and so keen on bloodlust as Adam, within the midst of a single bar. To think that this very same man was also considering killing him just a few minutes earlier.

Footsteps start padding back toward the living room, and Adam appears holding two regular glasses and a wine bottle, shorter and rounder than the other one. “No _wine_ glasses, but definitely still wine! I’m much more of a whiskey man, so I have myself to blame for that.” He grins and sets the glasses down, sitting next to Richard before pouring both of their glasses.

“Hm.” Richard can’t help but smirk a touch at that, moving to take his own glass as it’s poured. “I think I can make do with that, my friend.” He takes a sip of the wine, humming slightly at the taste. It was even better than it was at the bar. “Hope it isn’t poisoned.” He chuckles a touch at that.

“Oh, there I go again, forgetting to taste royalty’s wine.” He smirks and takes a sip of his own. “Don’t worry, I don’t appreciate the poisoning business. Spoils the meat, you see. Entirely useless that way.”

“What _do_ you appreciate then, hm?” He takes another sip of his wine at that, smirking. “You certainly aren’t the type to stalk, considering you were chatting so heavily with me in the bar. You don’t stalk, you don’t use poison. Just what kind of killer are you, my friend?”

“Perhaps I’m the kind to lead people into my house and kill them here.” He chuckles, a darker tint to the sound, and his eyelids lower to match. “Either that or I drag the bodies in through the back.”

“Are you?” He matches his gaze, a grin lifting up his lips, exposing his teeth. “Quite the crafty sort you are, then. No wonder that the police haven’t caught you. If you keep your kills at home, then no one can know. Lovely.”

“And I keep it clean too. As little mess as possible.” He points at him vaguely. “I can show you the basement later on if you’d like. Let you have a look at the tools and such.”

“Heh. I’m sure any other man would decline, on the fear of having their throat slit. Luckily I’m more than just any regular man.” He chuckles at that. “I would like that. Might as well see what kind of tools of the trade you tend to deal with. I could even repair a few if you need it.”

“I tend to keep things simple, if only to keep my tracks smaller, but thank you for the offer.” He grins a bit more genuinely. “For the most part, I just have to keep my knives sharp.”

“Knives, hm? So you like to get your hands dirty?” He hums, sipping at his wine again. “I’m more for creating long range weapons. Never had much of an opportunity to actually viscerally kill someone with that of a knife or a blade.”

“If you’re in town for the next few days, I could see to it that you do the honors.” Adam’s grin curls back to reveal perfect teeth, the expression on his face almost as if he’s eager to further corrupt an already corrupted soul. “If I find them out and about, I typically end up tying them in my basement until I really want to eat. I _was_ meaning to use you, but you’re simply too interesting. That and, you’re a...” He reaches over and pinches his cheek, barely finding any skin to properly grab. “A bit boney for my tastes. Heheh.” He smirks at him.

Richard’s grin was practically growing to fit Adam’s own, but then a hand comes up to pinch his cheek, and his eyes go wide, his face flushing as his cheeks gain a red tint, his grin momentarily fleeting from the shock. After a moment, he clears his throat and moves to take another sip of his drink, feeling a creeping heat starting to trail down his spine. “I-I see.” He takes another sip, a longer swig. “I..I suppose I might be open to trying. Though I’m not sure how..bloody things will get on my end. I prefer to keep any kills relatively bloodless, if I _do_ have to kill someone by my hand. I usually use a bullet in those cases.”

“Hmm.” He taps his chin. “Entirely fair. I usually trap all the blood in a basin I’ve moved downstairs. If it was winter, I’d do it outside, let the body freeze, and de-limb the corpse while it’s frozen. Much less blood then.” He takes another sip of his wine, staring halfway of to the side as if trying to make sure he’s not forgetting anything.

“I see.“ He rubs the cheek that got pinched, face still flushed. After a moment, he drains his glass of wine, tucking a hand into his pocket. “I have my own methods when it comes to dealing with bodies.” He pulls out what looks to be a regular singular bullet, holding it out in his palm. “One of my earlier inventions. It’s meant to hold a small amount of acidic fluid within it. The pressure of the bullet being skewered through a body is enough to cause the casing to burst, and the acid begins to degrade the flesh.”

“Oh, really?” He leans forward a little to see it, humming idly. “It looks rather unassuming. How do people react when they’re killed?”

“If the person gets shot in a place that doesn’t kill them immediately...” He tilts his head. “They usually melt into a puddle of screaming viscera. If the people around the one who get shot see it happen, they usually run away, also screaming. Or they try to, anyway.” He smirks at that. “I tend to not let them get away.”

“Ohohoh. Quite the head on your shoulders with that one.” He raises a brow, holding a hand out in a silent request for the bullet. “You like making visual impact, don’t you? Watching as people flee from your every step?”

“Indeed I do.” He hands him the bullet, chuckling a touch. “Flames and destruction are my pride and joy when it comes to the mayhem I cause.” He sighs softly, almost contently, smirking to himself. “Robbing trains, killing the engineers, leaving the corpses of once mighty beasts of steel in the dust. To be honest...It’s all just meager poultry compared to what I _really_ have in store. It’s merely just the first step to a grand plan that I have been cultivating for a while now.” His eyes narrow, head tilting up slightly toward the ceiling, as if lost in thought. “I’m just biding my time. Building up my regime. Making my mark on the common public. And then, one day. One day, I will _set the world ablaze.”_ His hands slowly clench, his words dipping into a low hiss of pure sadistic delight, his eyes glimmering in eager anticipation, as if imagining the inferno that would consume the whole of the land within his mind.

Adam watches him as he talks, sipping at his wine and enjoying the soft passion in his voice. He’d tell the man eventually, but people _were_ starting to pay attention to him. Mostly the corporations paying for the trains and supplies he keeps derailing and looting. And if this was only his first step, and he had much, _much_ more in plan, enough to have him looking forward to mass destruction and civilian panic.... He chuckles just imagining it. People running in fear of whatever weapons this man made, newspapers printing his name alongside pictures of the carnage. A few people going missing here and there would be even less noticed than they already are. He weighs the bullet in his palm, feeling the slight differences in weight to the ones he was used to handling. He almost wants to crush it just to see its effects right now.

“If you ask me, as simple man from Louisiana,” he says slowly, “I think you’re going to go _very_ far here in America.”

“Heheh. I dare say I’m flattered, my good man.” Richard’s eyes move to glance at him, up and down, smirking. “I may just remember you when my day finally comes, when I’m wreaking havoc on the masses. Perhaps I’ll try to find you and give you a taste of what it’s like to cause _true_ chaos.” He leans a touch closer at that, eyes fixed on him. “How do you like the sound of that? Being able to murder to your heart’s content, with no threats of bullets or handcuffs or the hangman’s noose to send you to your grave?”

Their eyes lock and Richard can see the moment Adam’s pupils dilate and then sharpen at the idea, a soft exhale passing his lips. He doesn’t say anything for half a moment, and then his lips move, but instead of merely opening to speak, they move forward, crossing the distance between them and pressing against Richard’s.

Richard’s grin of absolute delight and sadism comes crashing down within an instant, and his mind practically freezes in place, unable to properly comprehend what exactly was happening within that moment. He could feel the texture of Adam’s lips, could feel how oddly soft they were, how warm they were, and something about that feeling has the dull warmth creeping down his spine flare into an absolute open flame, his body shivering, his cheeks burning like flaming coals. After a moment, his hand moves to press against Adam’s chest, but it doesn’t push him back. Slowly, spine tingling and mind a whirlwind of nonsensical impulse, his eyes slowly close, and he lets himself shiver.

As soon as he feels the hand on his chest, Adam’s eyes widen, as if realizing what he was doing, and he pulls away right as Richard’s eyes close. “Ah... I‘m sorry, I shouldn’t, uh, have done that without asking.” He blinks a few times and shivers as he feels the hand still on his chest, a flush spreading across his face. “I don’t... usually, um...”

Richard’s eyes open up as soon as he feels those lips pull away, and he can’t help but stare, watching as Adam’s own face starts to erupt into a flushing mess, finding himself mesmerized by the sight of his eyes. He can never recall finding anyone’s eyes beautiful before. He can never recall finding anyone beautiful in general. He lets himself lick his lips, the sensation of those lips against his own seeming to stick to his skin, and after a moment, he can’t help but let a grin slowly form on his face, loose, awkward, almost nervous. “Heh....Would you believe me if I said that was my first kiss?”

“Oh, really?” The pink on his face turns a shade closer to red, and he rubs the back of his neck. “I, uh... Would you believe me if I said the same?”

That gets him to chuckle softly, shoulders hunching a touch, ears starting to burn. “I..both believe that completely and also not at all.” He goes quiet for a moment, clearing his throat. “It...For what it’s worth, it felt...nice.”

“Just nice?” He chuckles. “Seems like I’m going to have to work a bit harder next time.” He flushes worse, again. “I mean, if you’d let me. Perhaps. Not that you - I just-” He laughs at himself. “Wow, I am bad at this.”

Richard feels his cheeks start to burn even more, feels his spine shiver, and he slowly lets the hand on Adam’s chest drift down to grip one of his hands, softly. “..I..I think I’m open to it. If you are.”

“Really?” Adam’s hand jumps but he doesn’t pull away, eyes widening. He clears his throat. “I - I mean, we only just met. Usually... um, don’t most people wait longer? Then again, we aren’t exactly _most people....”_ He chuckles again, almost shyly.

“Last time I checked, it’s also natural for _most_ people to wind up kissing after leaving a bar together.” Richard can’t help but smirk a touch at that, even with his flushing cheeks.

“Is it-?” He groans and slaps a hand to his face. “Of course it is. And my brilliant mind thought nothing of it.”

“Heh. It’s fine, really. I’ve never decided to try and court someone for...that sort of thing.” He shrugs, looking slightly off to the side. “Never tried to court anyone for anything.”

“I’ve, uh.... Done a bit of it, but only for appearances, in all honesty.” He looks down, then notices he’s still holding his impromptu wine glass and moves to set it aside. “I don’t particularly... care for it. Well. I never have, but now I suppose... I have exceptions.”

“Apparently.” He glances back at him, staring, giving his hand a subtle squeeze. “I’m guessing it’s a touch...scary? For you, I mean?”

“I don’t know about scary, but... strange and different, maybe.” His grin widens a little at the squeeze. “How about for you? I imagine this wasn’t what you were planning when visiting Chicago.”

“Heheh.” He can’t help but smile a little more visibly at that. “Almost getting killed and eaten by a serial killer, only to wind up charming said killer into _not_ eating me, and then wind up kissing him in the dim candlelight of his own abode?” He lets out a bit of a laugh, shaking his head. “No, no. I was not expecting it. But...It’s not unwelcome.”

Something about him relaxes a little at hearing that, and he almost laughs at himself again for it. “That’s... good to hear, dear.”

“Heh. Good, I’m glad.” There was a slight pause, a silence, their hands still softly intertwined.

“So...” Adam squeezes his hand. “Is this where that second kiss comes in? Or another glass of wine?”

That gets Richard to flush a touch more, his cheeks burning faintly, and he clears his throat. “..Whatever makes you feel more comfortable, I suppose.”

“Hmm....” He narrows his eyes. “I’ve probably had enough alcohol for the night.” He leans forward, pressing their lips together softly, humming and shivering at the contact.

Richard doesn’t seem like he was entirely expecting the move, what with the way he jolts, ever so slightly under Adam’s touch, but after a moment, he leans into the kiss ever so slightly, eyes sliding shut once more, just like they had been. There was a slight shiver to his frame, and another arm moves up to place itself on Adam’s shoulder. Adam watches him even as his eyes close, the pleasure and flush bright across his face. The hand on his shoulder seems to invite him closer, so he shifts forward half an inch, appreciating the way their lips slide against each other. It was very strange. But something about it felt right. His lips flicker up as he stifles another laugh; perhaps that one was a bit too cliche, even for him.

Adam felt the head of Richard’s cane idly bump against his knee, where it still remained in his lap, and though one of Richard’s eyes do slide open at the feeling of his stifled giggle, it quickly slides back closed, letting out a soft, barely there hum, tilting his head ever so slightly into the embrace, idly, as if testing the waters. He tilts his head in turn, flushing as his brain pieces together the next thing to do. Dear lord, he feels like a teenager. Better late than never, though. He parts his lips ever so slightly for his tongue to peek out, brushing Richard’s lower lip and waiting for his reaction. There was another sharp shiver to Richard’s frame, and his eyes briefly flutter open, before they close yet again, and the man’s hand slowly lifts from his shoulder to push his cane off of his lap, letting it clatter to the floor. It was then that Richard slowly moves to turn towards Adam, slowly, making sure their lips are still locked, his own lips slowly parting, his own tongue sneaking forward just a touch, tentatively pressing to Adam’s own.

“Mm...” He shudders at the feeling, letting their tongues slide over each other. His hand, still holding Richard’s, squeezes as his thumb starts caressing him ever so gently.

“Mmm..” Richard lets out a soft hum of pleasure at the sensation, letting the hand on Adam’s shoulder start to rub up and down his arm, ever so slowly, swearing he could already feel his spine starting to quiver with the slightest embers of heat. He could feel his heart pounding just a touch harder in his chest, could feel his tongue tingling with the taste of the wine and liquor that they had both been drinking.

Adam shivers at the small touches, at the light vibrations tickling his lips and tongue, and he hums in return before pulling back, panting ever so slightly. “Ah. Y-yeah, I think I like that.”

Richard couldn’t help but shiver as the feeling of lips on his own finally pull away, and he blinks before pulling his head back as well, idly raising a hand up to wipe at his lips, flushing at the feeling that was blanketing his tongue, at the heat that was seeping from his skin, and he can’t help but nod, smiling almost shyly. “..Yes, I have to admit, that felt...rather nice.” He clears his throat, his hand moving to adjust his bow tie.

Adam watches him as he pulls back and belated wipes at his own lips, grinning at the shy look on his face as well as the compliment. He clears his throat, propping one of his elbows on the back of the couch and leaning his head into his hand as he watches him. “Seems like I’ve gone from simply _nice_ to _rather nice.”_

That almost seems to get Richard’s face to flush harder, and his eyes glance away for a moment, shoulders hunching. “W-Well, I..I, um...I-It’s the truth.”

"Practice makes perfect." He chuckles, leaning over and pecking his cheek, then immediately flushing all over again. "And I have definitely had enough alcohol."

The man blinks at the feeling of the kiss, and it’s only when he hears Adam’s comment does Richard actually let out a bit of a chuckle, a hand coming up to press to the tingling patch of skin, his heart still thudding a touch harder in his chest. “I wouldn’t know your limits so I think I might have to agree.” There was a pause. “..Do you want to..keep going? Or would you rather, er...Change topics?”

"I think, uh...." He shivers, still feeling a ghost impression of Richard's hand on his arm. "Maybe a little bit of a pause. Don't want to move too fast."

“R-Right, of course. Apologies.” He clears his throat again, nodding, crossing his arms, looking away.

"No need to apologize. I merely..." He shifts, seeming close to saying something, then shakes his head and stretches before moving to stand up. "How about I show you the basement? My little den of mysteries and murders." He holds his hands out to him, grinning. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours?"

Richard seems to blink at that, staring for a moment, before he lets out a soft chuckle, moving to take his hands in his own. “That sounds like a fair trade to me.”

•••

The first thing that managed to wake up Richard from the pit of unconsciousness was the sensation of the morning sunlight shining directly into his face. It was painful, enough to make him groan ever so slightly, his face scrunching up as he blindly waves a hand over his eyes to block the light from his vision, and for a moment, he considered simply falling back asleep. But then again, he already felt far more awake than he previously did before, and he could no longer feel a soothing warmth up against his back. He slowly brings himself to roll over, blinking the sleep from his eyes, just enough to see that Adam was no longer in the bed with him. He blinks sleepily, once, twice, before he slowly moves to sit upwards, his arms moving to stretch above his head as he does so, letting out a soft yawn as he does so. He glances toward an open chair where had thrown off his clothes (save for his underwear) and grumbles softly to himself as he moves to the edge of the bed in order to get dressed. “Guh. Lily will never let me hear the end of this..”

Somehow Adam had convinced him to stay overnight, claiming the streets too dangerous for a man even a little tipsy. The irony of a serial killer saying such a thing wasn't lost on him, but he also seemed serious enough. And Adam had been rather comfortable sleeping with through the night. Warm but not overly warm, no tossing and turning, no sharp bones digging into him while they slept. He pulls his socks on and shivers a little in the cooler air, hearing what sounds like metal scraping against metal alongside sizzling noises. He can’t help but sniff the air a touch in an effort to detect what exactly Adam seemed to be cooking from the kitchen, and he manages to detect the scent of bacon sizzling, reminding his stomach that he was, in fact, quite hungry. He begins to get himself dressed just a touch faster, pulling on his undershirt and beginning to button it up, taking care when it comes to shuffling on his pants. His legs still hadn’t gotten to the point of shaking yet, which was definitely a good sign; they probably were able to recover from any strain while he slept.

He hears a light hum come from the door leading toward the kitchen, and the scraping and sizzling noises increase for a moment before settling down again. Adam continues humming a little tune, the sound of cabinet doors opening and plates clinking. Richard takes a moment to glance at his coat and hat before dismissing it for the moment; breakfast in the morning with a full suit and hat attire didn’t seem exactly appropriate. He takes a moment to adjust his undershirt and his pants, fitting on his shoes, moving to grip the handle of his cane, which had been leaning against the edge of the bed. He grits his teeth ever so slightly as he moves to push himself up onto his feet, groaning at the sensation of his back cracking, moving to brace one hand against his spine as he moves to stretch, muscles burning pleasantly as he does so, thankfully not losing any balance. He rubs at an eye with the back of his hand before moving to slowly walk toward the kitchen door, idly wondering what exactly the man was preparing.

He slips into a small hall and into the kitchen, seeing Adam standing over a decently sized gas oven and a cast iron pan. He can’t see it, but he hears one of his feet tapping against the ground in tune with the song in his head. A few plates sit next to him on the nearby counter, a couple of slices of bacon neatly placed on each. Adam hasn’t noticed him yet.

Slowly, a smirk crosses Richard’s face, and he moves to lean against the doorway, bracing himself with an arm. He watches for a moment, before finally moving to make his way down the hallway, cane clacking against the ground carefully, not wanting to accidentally scratch the hardwood floors. “Got a little song stuck in your head, gigglemug?”

“Hm?” His head pops up and turns to look at him, beaming as they make eye contact. “Ah, you’re awake! I was wondering when you’d get up.” He stirs the pan for a moment. “There was a festival a little while ago, and a really talented band was playing. Simply can’t get some of the songs out of my head.”

“I see. Sounds like quite the tune. Wish I could’ve been there to see it.” He chuckles, before making his way across the room, toward the stovetop. “What time is it, anyways?”

“A little after eight thirty at this point.” He pulls the pan off of the stove and starts portioning what looks like eggs between the two plates. “I made some coffee if you’d like some.” He points with his elbow toward a metal pitcher.

“Mm. Have any sugar?” He moves to pick up the mug that’s placed next to the pitcher, starting to pour himself a cup. “I usually prefer my coffee more on the sweet side.”

“Ah, sweet tooth is it?” He looks along the cupboards. “I might have some left. I’ll have to look for it, though. It’s been a while since I’ve used any.”

“It’s fine if you don’t; I’ve had to drink it plenty of times before when it was still bitter, so I’m used to how it tastes.” He blows at the steam billowing across his mug, taking a sip, as if to prove it, not seeming to mind how hot it is. “Made bacon and eggs, I see.” He quirks a brow, flashing a teasing grin as he extends a finger to point at the bacon. “This _is_ bacon, right? Not the lining of some man’s stomach?”

“Certified Illinois pork.” Adam grins widely at him. “There’s a little steak in with the eggs. 100% cow, I guarantee. I usually leave the delicacies to dinner, I’ll have you know.”

“I’m just checking.” He chuckles a touch, shaking his head. “After all, it would be _incredibly_ easy for one such as you to make anyone wind up eating human flesh, and something tells me you aren’t opposed to pulling a prank. Even a most foul one.” He moves to place his mug down, taking a plate and moving it to a nearby table. “..On that note, _did_ you ever do that? Feed someone human meat, I mean.”

“Never!” He brings the pan to the sink and sets it down, then grabs his own plate and mug and brings it to the table as well. He sets them down and moves over to the cabinets. “I prize cooking over most everything else, and I’d never violate someone’s will on such a thing. My eating people-” He stretches, straining to reach into the back of a cabinet for the sugar, and then hops a little as he pulls back with a small bag of the stuff. “My eating people is merely a hobby of mine. Like wine tasting.” He grins at him and brings the bag to the table.

“Hmm. Just checking, of course. I know you find _me_ interesting, but I’m not sure you’d find the same feeling with my crew members. They tend to sometimes pull little jokes, you see. Mostly on Aaron.” He shakes his head, chuckling as he picks up his utensils to start cutting into his eggs. “Wouldn’t want them to wind up being accidental cannibals because you had the “hilarious” idea to feed them some poor man’s liver.”

He snorts and finally takes a seat. “I used to pull quite a few pranks when I was younger, but I’ve grown out of them for the most part. Though Aaron does seem like a proper subject for them.” He smirks a little. “He seems like someone mollycoddled him in youth.”

That gets Richard to let out a bit of a wheezing chuckle, eyes crinkling a touch at that, a laugh lacing his words. “Oh, that wouldn’t surprise me at all. He’s a complete and utter nose bagger. The farthest thing from a gal-sneaker and the biggest coward I’ve ever seen in my life. Man can’t so much as look at me without trembling.” He chuckles at that. “But, believe it or not, the man is good with bubbling around. Has a real silver tongue. That, and he’s the most unassuming out of all of us. Good for when we really need to hide and have to send someone into a town to see the elephant and whatnot. He’s not afraid to use a gun, either.”

“Ah, so he’s only a little sour when with you all.” He chuckles with him. “I know the type. I got the feeling Gunther keeps everyone from biting each others’ heads off when things get rough. Quite the galoot.” He takes a bite of his bacon and looks off to the side, thinking for a moment. “Do you think there’s any room for another in your crew? I know it’s a bit sudden, but I can’t help but consider it.”

That gets Richard to blink, even as he pops a piece of egg into his mouth, taking a moment to chew and swallow before answering. “Really? You’d be willing to come with? Even with this little home you have here?” He waves his fork idly around the room in example.

“Oh, I’m on rent. And they just raised it.” He rolls his eyes. “If I leave, they’ll just have someone else come in and fill the place. It’s a bit big for me. Though I should probably sanitize the basement before I leave....” He shovels another forkful of eggs into his mouth as he considers it.

Richard is quiet for a moment, staring, raising a brow. “I should warn you that the crimes we commit are still dangerous ones. We spend a lot of time on the road, far from towns and cities, and we tend to have to go into hiding whenever we do decide to strike a heist. Not to mention encounters with other criminals. It isn’t exactly a walk in the park.”

“Then you should know I’ve fought through the Civil War _and_ trekked all the way from New Orleans into Mississippi to Tennesse to Kentucky to Ohio to Pennsylvania and then New York on foot.” He points a fork at him. “I have dealt with all sorts of pickpockets and highway mobsters, _and_ I know my way around all the hidden iconographies of the various secret societies of North America. _And_ I have many murders under my belt already, from several states. Never been caught.”

Both brows raise up at that, and for a moment Richard doesn’t speak. Then he lets out a slight laugh, an amused chortle that has his shoulders shake a touch. “My my. You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?”

“If you don’t have surprise in America, you won’t survive very long.” He grins widely, chomping down on another bite of breakfast with a triumphant look on his face.

“I guess that only begs one question then.” Something in his grin seems to sharpen at that. “Are you willing to help me bring about the eventual fall of society? Will you stand by my side for the day I set the world on fire?”

He snickers. “Are you proposing or merely describing my life-long dream?”

“Merely making sure you know what you’re getting into, my friend.” He narrows his eyes, almost playfully. “You’re not just dealing with a regular run of the mill robber, looking for profits. But I suspect you already know that.”

“Given what I know about those trains you’ve had your own fun with.... I’d say I have an idea, yes.” He props his chin on his hand. “I’ve honestly wanted to try something a bit... larger for a while now. I quite enjoy explosions.”

“Then you’re lucky that I happen to specialize in those.” He chuckles a touch at that, almost seeming to lean forward a touch. “I even have explosive _bullets.”_

“Oooh.” His eyes widen and a small spark filters through his eyes. “May want to hide that from me when I get bored. Might go ahead and try them out without adult supervision.”

“Heheh.” He shakes his head a touch at that. “As long as you don’t go blowing up anything too noticeable when we’re out in the middle of nowhere, I don’t think I’d mind. Besides, I look forward to seeing you in action.”

“Oh, is that so?” He almost leans toward him. “It may be a little difficult to do things as usual on the road, but I’ve done it before. You could probably watch, though I’m unsure how the others would react.”

“Well, that depends. Would you rather I fill them in on your little...hobbies?” He quirks a brow, still smirking. “Or do you feel you could tell them yourself?”

“Do you think they’d feel comfortable having me around knowing I might have the idea floating around my head of eating them?” He tilts his head. “I’ve never let people know for extended periods of time before.”

“As long as you don’t _act_ on any of those ideas, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Besides, we’re talking about full-blooded murderers here; even if you tend to eat the corpses, it’s not like any of them have any actual right to judge and turn up their noses.” He rolls his eyes a touch at that. “Hypocrisy. The one thing I can’t stand.”

“I _am_ desecrating corpses.” He trills his fingers on the table. “I wouldn’t call it hypocrisy, so long as their issues come from the cannibalism and not the murdering.”

“I suppose that’s fair.” He hums a touch. “Do you think you could effectively talk it out with my crew if any issues did come up? Communication is key in my group. Can’t have a bunch of criminals going and stabbing each other in the back for something as flimsy as threats.”

“Hmm...” He considers it. “I could try my best. I am quite the persuasive talker.” He smirks, looking at the thief and murderer who he had managed to talk into staying at his own abode.

“I have no doubts about that statement.” He smirks right back, looking at the cannibalistic killer who hadn’t laid a single hand on him with the intent to murder. “So, Adam Walker, are you looking to become part of the Noblemen?”

“If you would have me.” He grins sweetly. “If it matters much, I can cook lunch, dinners, and desserts as well.”

“Heh.” Richard can’t help but chuckle a touch, smirking. “Oh, I’m already aware, my friend.” He moves to splay a hand against his chest. “Then allow me to introduce myself proper. My name may be Richard Brooks. But my _title,_ as leader of the Noblemen gang, and future ruler of the world, is none other than _Sir Pentious.”_

"Sir Pentious." He says it, rolling the title around in his mouth, and then slaps the table and points at him, eyes wide. "The same Sir Pentious who a month ago was running rampant through London with the Devil's weaponry?"

Instantly his eyes gain a pleasant gleam of surprise, and his grin practically grows to take up half of his face. “Ah, so my name _has_ gained shape in the world’s tongue! Tell me, what exactly have they said? What stories have you heard?”

"Only small pieces here and there, but the international papers I found talked about you and your crew never missing a shot once. Incredibly accurate weaponry with deadly ammunition." He narrows his eyes. "You mentioned explosive and acidic rounds. That must've been what they were talking about. No one's ever seen you, though. You're a mystery figure. Almost mythic."

 _“Mythic,_ you say? Oh, how _wonderful.”_ He chuckles, practically chortles to himself, shoulders shaking with mirth. “Oh, I wonder just how many of my old neighbors now shudder in their sleep, remembering how I used to live right next to them, knowing I could’ve brought their lives to a bloody, _bloody_ end. What would my parents think?” He lets out another sharp laugh. “Mark my words, when I conquer the world, I only hope they’re still alive just so they can witness me destroying all of England!”

"You'd definitely be quite the sight. I don't believe there's been a leader in history who's intent on destruction without much gain than the satisfaction of having said he did it." Adam sighs softly, taking in the sadistic grin and short laugh that spoke of so much more to come. Such a wonderful man with such brilliant ideas. "Well, if you ever need to know how much pressure explodes a human skull, I'm open. Also, communications. I've been seeing these things called radios entering a few workplaces. I'm fluent with telegraphs, of course, but something about radios just strikes me different."

“Ah, radios, you say.” Pentious’s grin twitches down ever so slightly, turning into a soft scowl, and he takes a moment to adjust the collar of his shirt. “Would you believe me if I said that those _bastards_ that _claimed_ to have invented them were merely mooching off of _my_ design?”

Adam's eyes widen. "No! Well. I mean, of course I can. That's capitalism. But that's just horrible and I'm sorry to hear that. Do you want me to kill them sometime? I hear they're overseas, but they'll come by at some point to show off."

“Mm.” He smirks at the thought, a wicked gleam coming back to his eyes. “That sounds quite the lovely proposition, my friend. Perhaps we’ll make a spectacle of it. A grand act of kidnapping and ransom. Of course, we won’t _actually_ let them leave alive. Perhaps we’ll tie their corpses to a tree and leave them for the mutton shunters to find.”

"Oh, the cougars and wolves will find them first." He looks aside, thinking. "Are you all thinking of going through Yosemite at all? Lots of wolves from what I hear."

“Perhaps. We’ll have to check our maps in order to figure out where precisely we’ll be going.” He smirks a touch more. “Why do you ask?”

"Hmm. No precise reason. Just curious." He says it like there's very clearly a reason, but smiles and scoops up more egg to eat. "How do you like the eggs?"

“Oh, they’re pretty nice, I must admit. I usually prefer to eat mine scrambled, but I’m honestly finding this method to be quite delicious.” He can’t help but grin a bit more calmly at that, said egg on his plate already halfway gone. “Thank you for that, by the way. Breakfast, I mean.”

"Of course, my dear. It's the least I could do for keeping you out so late." He chuckles and grins, starting to finish up his own plate. "I hope your friends aren't worrying too much."

“Oh, I’m sure Lily will just about tear my head off when we get back. She’s always been a mite protective of me, ever since we first met. Of course that might have something to do with the fact that they held a gun to my chest.” He flashes an amused grin, chortling a touch. “Oh, their faces when they saw my wheelchair.”

"So you do have one. I didn't want to assume, but with how they were talking and the cane..." He tilts his head. "Wait. Back up. They put a gun to your chest?"

“Indeed!” Pentious’s whole grin lights up, much more amused and delighted than someone usually should be. “Oh, it was honestly a complete and utter stroke of luck on my part that it happened. It happened around..3? Yes, 3. 3 years ago. 1866. I had finally gone through my own mental awakening and realized there was nothing stopping me from simply tearing this world down, and I began to tinker and teach myself how to build weapons. Mostly guns, at the start. I was _planning_ on seeking out one of the many union rebellion groups that were starting to invade the streets, to offer my services you see, when one of them just happened to _barge_ right into my watch shop, demanding that I give them shelter or they _shoot me!_ _Ahahahahahah!”_ He tilts back his head and laughs, a mirthful cackle that rings around the room like a bell.

Adam's grin twitches up at the sound, his heart flipping a little in his rib cage. There was definitely something different about this man. Adam decides his boisterous laughter has something to do with it. "Wow. That certainly is a way to meet future coworkers. And all that is under the rug by now?"

“Oh, of course, of course. No worries. They all practically fell over each other trying to apologize the moment they realized they pointed a gun at a crippled man. Except for Aaron.” His grin falls at that into a touch of a grimace. “He thought I was faking at first. He always kept staring at me whenever I’d actually get up from my chair.”

“Oh, really?” He gives him an unimpressed look and huffs through his nose. “You know, I could eat _him_ if you let me. Just say the word and it’ll be done. I could take his spot as the unassuming charmer.”

“Mm...” He almost seems to consider it but then shakes his head. “No, no. I know he may _sound_ bad, but he’s also the man that helped me convince everyone else to join me in getting Darian out of the picture. Even helped me figure out a way to hide the body. If there’s one thing that man is, it’s loyal, and that’s not something I want to lose.”

“It is rather difficult to find true loyalty these days.” Adam swallows his last piece of bacon. “Well, whenever you decide you want someone out of the picture, don’t hesitate to ask. I specialize in individual removals.” He scrapes his plate for the last bits of egg and then stands to put his dishes in the sink, taking his mug to the coffee pot and filling it up again.

“Oh trust me, there _will_ be people that I’ll eventually need you to kill. No worries, your thirst for blood and murder won’t be drying up anytime soon. Not as long as I can help it.” He chuckles a touch at that, smirking. “I intend to make sure you remain the immaculate killer in the shadows that you’ve grown to be. Even if that does mean hopping aboard a train or two.”

“Heheheh...” He looks over at him, then turns to lean against the counter as he sips his coffee. “I can’t wait to see what you have in store, my dear. I have the utmost faith that you’ll be able to keep me _very_ well entertained.”

“Hmm.” Pentious almost seems to hum at that, and after a moment, he slowly moves to stand, his cane clacking against the ground as he makes his way toward him. He looks him over for a moment, still smirking, before he reaches out with a warm, gloveless hand, cupping Adam’s chin delicately, thumb idly resting against his skin. “And I have the upmost faith that you’ll be the first to see me turn the whole of America into a blazing inferno.” With that, he slowly leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.

Adam blinks, tensing ever so slightly at the unexpected touch before relaxing into the kiss. His grin widens against his lips. Such an intriguing man. There’s no way to tell what he’s gotten himself into, but he’s looking forward to every bit of it.

The kiss, gentle, soft, only lasts for a couple of seconds before Pentious slowly pulls away, his cheeks flushing a touch, but looking quite pleased with himself. He takes a moment to rub over Adam’s chin with his thumb, softly. “Well, then? Shall we be off?” 

And all Adam could do in response, with excitement coursing through all his veins, was nod and smile so wide even he felt like his face was about to split. “I think we shall.”


	2. Chapter 1b

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back by popular demand! And self-indulgent RadioSnake urges.
> 
> Have a spin off of the previous chapter, in which Adam is a bit more headstrong and a bit more eager to eat. Richard is not impressed.
> 
> (Chapter starts after they make it to Adam’s house)
> 
> CW: NSFW, minor blood, typical cannibalism mentions

“I knew there was something strange about you when you suddenly waltzed up to me in that bar. How did you find me out, hm? Did you hear rumors? See a wanted poster somewhere? Lucky guess? Or is it because of something else?” The sound of the hammer clicking back. “What were you going to do with that knife?”

Adam goes still, not saying anything, taking in the fact that a gun was pressed to his head. The knife shifts and sings against the counter in the ensuing silence. “...Wanted posters?”

“Hmph. I take it that you  _ don’t _ know who I am then. Funny. And here I was thinking you were some mercenary looking to turn in my corpse for the bounty.” The gun presses just a touch harder against his skull. “Let go of the knife.”

“Why don’t you put the gun down and we play with the odds?” His hand tightens against the knife. “I’d say you have the better chance at winning.”

“I’m no fool. You may not be a hunter of crime, but that doesn’t change the fact that a knife is in your hand. You intend to kill me. Don’t you? Why would I even bother to take a chance with a man who wants to put a knife in my heart?” Adam can’t see Richard’s face, but he can hear the scowl in his voice.

“Well...” He tilts his head ever so slightly. “I suppose you have a point there. You’re a smart one, aren’t you?” He shifts his head slightly to look over his shoulder.

“A stupid man doesn’t last long in a profession like mine, I’m afraid.” He can just barely see Richard’s face, pulled into a stern, steely scowl, eyes trained on him, glimmering with a cold, methodical rage. His hand was steady on the gun, firm, like he knew precisely how to hold it.

“Whatever profession that is, I’m inclined to agree.” Adam lets go of the knife and slowly, carefully turns around, hands held up to his head. “I’ll admit, I’m a bit impressed. No one’s ever quite caught me before.” He chuckles, grinning widely, teeth and all, shoulders bouncing, and shrugs. “Congratulations are in order.”

“Hmm. Perhaps.” His eyes narrow ever so slightly. “Why do you want to kill me? For a sick perverted thrill? To mutilate my body? Sell my organs so they wind up being dissected in a college classroom?”

“Haha! So original.” He lowers his hands, but keeps them in front of his chest. “I’ll admit I enjoy a good hunt, but if you’re a wanted man, I can only  _ assume _ that you understand that rush of adrenaline, hm? To call it sick and perverted would be to call yourself that as well. I definitely wouldn’t call it that.” He tilts his head again. “But that isn’t all of it either. Quite the least of it.”

“..Hmm.” His lips seem to scowl at touch harder at the implication, his gaze still kept steady, his other hand clutched around the end of his cane, which was resting on the floor. “Then what’s the rest of it? You kill people for the rush, but what else?”

“Asking a serial killer for a confession? My oh my, what a lucky man.” He shifts forward half a step, tilting at the waist to lean further toward him. “Don’t you know it’s part of the universal code of serial killers to never give away all the answers?”

Richard’s face seems to shift a touch at that, his eyes sharpening, pupils shrinking, though his stance doesn’t change, and Adam can feel the gun’s frame push into his forehead. “I don’t think you have a lot of options right now. Don’t you think a survivor deserves to know what you intended to do with his body?”

“Heheheh.” His grin only widens at the push against his forehead, and he narrows his eyes on him. “Actually, I think you deserve less.  _ Survivor _ . Hah! How cute.”

“Hmm.” The man is silent for a moment. “Give me a reason, then, why I shouldn’t simply shoot you. I’m sure I’d get quite the bounty for exposing you as a rampant killer. And I’m positive that I’d be able to find  _ something _ incriminating in this house of yours. I just need to dig around a little first.” He leans in a touch closer at that, eyes narrowed. “And I’m sure I don’t need you alive to do it.”

“Oh, now that is just  _ vile. _ Rooting around through other people’s intimate things?” He leans back, tutting. “I think if you did that and found all my wonderful little secrets, you’d need to take quite a few minutes to understand what you’re looking at and realize just what I was going to do with you. But you’d never know  _ why. _ And you want to know why, don’t you?” Adam brings a hand up, slowly, touching his pointer finger to the barrel of the gun but not applying any kind of pressure. His eyes lock with Richards’. “You’re the kind of guy who likes analyzing things. Who likes knowing everything. Possibly even obsesses over it. Not knowing things makes you lose focus. Until something else comes along, of course. But that feeling lasts longer when it’s something more personal, doesn’t it? When it hits closer to home. Reflects something in you which you are only beginning to understand.” He goes quiet for just a moment. “So tell me, Richard. What is it about me that you see in yourself?”

Richard’s face slowly shifts the longer Adam talks, some of the cold, calculating intensity in his eyes draining away, replaced by shock, replaced by the alarm that could only be brought about by words that were so horribly true that they could not be ignored. But after a moment, after a single blink, that shock clears from his gaze, and his brow slowly furrows, and his lips pull up in a scowl, to show off his teeth. “..And why should I tell you anything? You’re the man who tried to bury a knife in my stomach.”

“And you’re the man who hasn’t fired that gun yet.” A layer of harshness comes to Adam’s gaze, but his smile never once flickers. He waits a second for a response - a singular second - before continuing, “You see, my dear, here are a few things I’ve figured out about you already. One: you’re a fugitive, on the run, and have been for quite some time. I know the look and instincts of someone who’s been hounded by the government for potentially years on end. Which begs the question of what exactly your  _ occupation _ is. I assume you’re wanted either dead or alive, given our earlier conversation. So I imagine you’ve killed people too. And your hand isn’t shaking, so you’re probably used to holding that little toy you’ve got, but there’s no residue or wear on the handle or barrel, which means it’s either new, rarely used, or you  _ really _ keep up on your polishing.” He tilts his head. “You keep a good face, but I can only really assume you’re either scared of killing people with your own hand, or you’re  _ genuinely _ interested in what I have to say. And I get the feeling it isn’t the first one.”

There was silence for a moment, a second, Richard’s eyes narrowed, his fingers tightening ever so slightly on the handle of the gun as Adam brings attention to it, his muscles drawn taut, yet not trembling. His eyes danced over Adam’s face, flicking all around, as if trying to puzzle out the mystery behind his smile. Finally, those eyes settle back, locked with Adam’s own gaze, and that scowl of his slowly fades away, replaced with an almost calm expression, still steely, still wary, and cold. “..Smart.” The other hand slowly adjusts it’s grip on his cane. “...And you deduced that simply from looking at me. What else have you seen?”

“Well, to start with, you’re quite a bit more observant than first thought! And you prep for ambush.” He glances at the gun, which had seemingly come from nowhere. “You’re expecting people to attack you, though I doubt that has anything to do with what you’re really doing. Though what  _ are _ you doing?” He squints at him, shifting to take a step closer. “You’ve killed people, most likely at a distance, but why? Hm.” His eyes peek down at his cane. “Knowing what I know about myself, I’m not even going to try and put a reason to you. I don’t think it’s worth the effort. So the next question is  _ how _ . How have you been killing people, hm? You’re not going about shooting up saloons or anything. Too noisy. Would have heard about that by now. So something quiet. Something people don’t talk about. Or something where the news travels slowly. Maybe even something where your identity is hidden? Bank robbers usually shout their names to the skies before moving on. Old shoes, too, so I doubt it gives you liquid cash....”

Richard slowly moves one of his feet back as Adam steps forward, but he himself doesn’t move, still staring, still holding that same icy glare within his eyes, his lips turned down in an idle grimace. The gun had now lowered to Adam’s chest, finger still kept firmly on the trigger, and there’s a moment of silence before it is broken. “... _ The Sunrise Express. The Steel Dragon. The Iron Mountain.  _ Recognize any of those names?”

“A group of trains further out east which have been derailed, destroyed, or otherwise looted.” He counts them on his fingers, one of his brows raising. “Is that what you’re doing? Looting trains. Killing passengers. Mostly metals and mechanic parts, if I recall correctly. Lots of copper, aluminum, nickel....” He squints. “Mechanics. Are you building something?”

His eyes narrow, distrustful, wary, and yet that trigger still hasn’t been pulled. “..Not yet. Merely taking the time to get my footing, so to speak. To hone my craft, before I decide to take the next step. This is merely a hobby to pass the time. A way to make a name for myself before I finally reach my goal.”

“Huh.” Adam takes a moment to look him over again. This was... not what he had anticipated. “Do you work by yourself, or with a team of some sort? I prefer solo work myself.”

“Those people you saw with me back at the bar. They’re my team, my most trusted men, and I’ve made myself their leader. We call ourselves the Noblemen.” The gun slowly lowers a bit more, this time pointed at Adam’s stomach.

“The Noblemen?” He chuckles at that, hands on his hips. “Quite the name for a bunch of thugs.  _ Smart _ thugs, but thugs all the same.“ He watches the gun sink in his peripheries, watches the caution in the man’s face lessen with every passing second. And just when the gun is about to move out of sight, just when he sees a slight change of emotion in his eyes, Adam darts out a hand for Richard’s wrist and kicks at his cane with one of his feet, his remaining hand darting toward his shoulder.

Alarm quickly flashes through Richard’s face, and within a fraction of a second, the sound of the gun going off fills the air, and he feels the sensation of the bullet whizzing past his ear. The man stumbles, his legs wobbling, one of them already sliding back and starting to go down on a knee, and his hand that still clutches the cane moves to slide his hand downwards, now gripping it by the pole, straining to raise it up over his head, his teeth gritting as he struggles to remain on his feet. The gun goes off again, and Adam feels it skim the cloth on his shoulder. The sound of the window shattering behind them fills the air, and glass pelts his back. “Haha! Is that all you’ve got?” He pushes Pentious’s hand a few inches higher into the air, nails digging into his skin as his other hand makes contact on his shoulder, sliding to his upper arm as he feels him move to raise his arm, and he pushes forward, taking two steps into the center of the room. “Do you remember when I said you’d have a better chance at winning? I’m fairly certain that time has passed, my dear.”

“You-..You-!” Richard’s voice is slightly strained in his throat, hissed through gritted teeth, his legs already starting to wobble, struggling to keep up their strength, their weight, and his arms are practically keeping a death grip on both of his weapons. He thrashes and yanks his left arm in an effort to pull it free, his right wrist twisting harder and harder in an effort to get the gun’s muzzle pointed towards anywhere that might be able to strike flesh. He finally manages to raise his cane high enough to try and bring it down, struggling against Adam’s own strength, trying to swing the end of the cane so that it will bash itself against his skull. The gun goes off again. Bits of plaster rain down from the ceiling.

“ _ Agh! _ ” The cane sloppily but forcefully hits the side of his head, not nearly as strong as he’d like thanks to Adam’s lanky arm getting in the way. His monocle falls off his face, swaying below his chest, and he presses forward again, driving Pentious toward the kitchen table they had been sitting at just moments ago and shoving him down on top of it, slamming the hand holding the gun into the wood. He’s still grinning, though something darker is laced in his eyes now. “What? Did you think just because we’re  _ similar _ that I’d be charmed into letting you go? You may be an interesting case, but I’ll cut you up anyways. Just you wait and see.”

Richard’s face contorts with pain as he feels his spine bend, as he feels his frame suddenly become pinned, his legs left to skid and futilely kick against the floor, the muscles growing more and more weak, more sluggish, by the second. He can barely lift the cane anymore, and even if he could, it barely did a thing. His heart was pounding, his brow was growing slick with sweat, and he could feel the creeping, burning numbness starting to fill his legs. He was running out of time.  _ He was pinned and he was running out of time.  _

His eyes squeeze shut, just so he doesn’t have to stare into those eyes, those eyes that wanted to kill him, make him bleed, make him suffer. He had to think. He had to get this right. His hand finally lets go of the cane, moving to grip the man’s neck in a last, desperate attempt to keep him at bay, to keep him distracted from reaching for a blade. “W-Wait! Wait! What do you  _ really _ want? The-The killing! The murder! You said before that you do it to get a rush, right? You do it because you like how it feels! But that means...” He winces as he feels the hand pinning his wrist tighten. “T-That means you don’t find satisfaction in anything else! You can’t find it in other things! So you turn to murder as a hobby to keep yourself occupied!”

“And it’s quite the fun hobby, if I say so myself.” His voice comes out slightly strained from the grip on his throat, but he laughs anyways, shifting his hand further up toward the gun and slamming his hand down against the table again. “And I was just finding it a little boring before you came along! But like I said before: that’s not the  _ only _ reason I do this. Sure, I get bored by everything else, but who doesn’t?”

Richard can’t help but tremble from the pain that flares against his hand, still clutching onto the gun, still not letting go of it, his grip growing tighter the more Adam began to try and force it out of his fingers. It was his only lifeline, his only chance, and if he let go of that, he knew he was done. He finally forces his eyes back open to meet Adam’s again, to stare into that murderous gaze and confront it, all the while he felt the edge of the table slowly digging itself more and more into his spine. “But what happens after I’m gone?! When I’m dead and cold and nothing more than another bloody trophy to add to your collection of victims that no one will ever see? What then?”

“Then I’ll find someone else, my dear. I’ve lost count of the number of people I’ve killed. Nobodies, shop workers, dock workers, veterans, tailors - and now another murderer.” He lets go of his shoulder, giggling, that grin spreading across his face and showing off every single pearly white tooth he had to offer, eyes glimmering with mad intent. His hand comes up to cup his cheek and he leans in, knowingly pressing his throat into his hand. “You know, I absolutely  _ love _ seeing my victims struggle. The fear, the anger, the denial. The begging. But that only makes them more tense in the end. That’s why cattle raised on farms taste so much better than industrial sized operations. When they’re free ranged, they’re much more  _ tender _ .”

Richard feels his pulse flutter at the feeling of that hand on his cheek, his eyes wide as he sees that gaze of bloodshed and madness and sheer sadistic satisfaction slowly draw closer to his own, that smile almost seeming to gleam in the darkness of the room. He can’t help but stare into that smile, that petrifying grin that almost seemed like a perfect copy of his own, stitched onto another face, and he feels something in the very back of his mind shudder. He lets his hand slowly loosen over his throat, ever so slightly, heart pounding as his breathing slowly gets under control, and he stares right into those glimmering, cunning eyes that so eagerly wanted to snuff out his very soul, not blinking so much as once. “..But what...But what about when the day comes that even  _ that _ becomes boring? The fear. The begging, the anger, the denial, everything you’ve said. You’re just repeating the same thing over and over. You’re in a loop. A cycle. It’s going to get stale. It’s going to lose its luster. You already said that it was starting to get dull, until  _ I  _ showed up. What if..What if you don’t need to kill me? What if you just need to....to do something  _ different _ ?”

“Ohoho, look at that. You’re already asking me to spare you? And to turn over a new leaf?” Adam chuckles darkly, bringing both his hands to the gun in Pentious’ grasp and working his fingers free. “Please. Things get boring in the killing industry because there are lulls. You stick around a place and your choices start to thin, so you have to move from place to place. Some places are better than others, more variety, more challenges. I could stay in this city and merely move a few blocks every year or so and stay satisfied. What  _ difference _ do I need?”

Richard can’t help but grit his teeth when he feels that gun finally be ripped away from his hand, when he feels his only line of defense suddenly fall away, and he can’t help the tremble that comes to his limbs, even as his heart pounds and his mind starts to grow frantic. A bit of a stutter comes to his lips, to his words, and he feels his now free hand curl into a fist. “N-No, no, that’s not what I’m saying! I’m not saying you need to repent or give up your killing sprees or anything! That’s not what I’m trying to say. I-I’m trying to tell you that-that I can  _ help _ you! Help you get out of the cycle that you’re falling into, the rut, the constant running from state to state, all of it. The difference you need is the one  _ I _ can give you! Just  _ listen to me _ !”

Adam pauses for just a moment, one glorious moment, as the gun makes it into his hand, and he takes that moment to sneer at the man below him. “You want to  _ help _ me? What a ridiculous notion, that I  _ need _ help.” He tosses the gun aside, blindly, not caring where it lands, and pulls Richard up by the hair, dragging him back toward that counter with the knife waiting for him so prettily.

Richard feels his teeth grit at the pain that spreads over his scalp, feels the sudden momentum of his own scrambling limbs as he feels himself being  _ yanked _ off of the table, practically collapsing against the floor, only suspended by the weight of his own hair, and he doesn’t even need to see the knife to know that it was what the man was reaching for. He realizes that both of his hands are free, and he doesn’t think twice; he grips onto Adam’s closest leg, and  _ yanks _ , just as he hears the sensation of the knife scraping against the counter as it’s picked up. He hears a sharp yelp, a  _ crack _ and when his eyes finally land on Adam’s sprawled shape, he sees that a cut has opened up on his forehead from where it slammed against the edge of the counter. His heart is pumping, his teeth are gritted, and within an instant, he’s on top of him, both hands pinning his wrists to the ground, straddling his chest, glaring down at him as his flesh burns and bubbles with frustration, with rage. 

“You complete and utter idiot! You  _ imbecile _ ! Do you have any idea what I’m trying to offer? What I’m trying to give you?! What skills I possess?!” He pauses as Adam’s knife raises up just a touch, and he slams it back down again, lowering his face so their gazes meet. “I have the power to build machines that can topple entire trains with a single blow! I killed 30 people with little more than a  _ bomb _ no bigger than your  _ hand _ ! Do you think you can get anywhere by cutting up people like some backwater butcher? Do you think you’ll ever manage to find true satisfaction just on your own? I could give you the chance to slaughter  _ thousands _ with nothing to stop you! I could offer you the whole damn  _ world _ on a silver platter! I swear to you, I swear to you now, that if you kill me, you will regret it, till the day you  _ die _ .”

Adam's eyes are wide, partly still processing the fact that he was on the floor down, with his dinner sitting on  _ top _ of him. That wasn't how this was supposed to go. He struggles to raise his arms, but it's difficult with the majority of Pentious's weight holding them down. His eyes narrow at the insults, at the boasts, and he lets out a bark of a laugh. "A backwater butcher? Is that what you take me for? At least you're somewhat closer on the guess." He jerks his shoulders up, trying to buck him off his chest. "If you haven't guessed it by now, I'll spell it out for you:  _ I'm a cannibal. _ "

Richard can’t help but scowl even as the man struggles, even as he tries to squirm his way free, and he only moves to pin him down even further, his wrists slamming into the floor, eyes narrowing, feeling his nails biting into his gloves, into Adam’s skin. “I already knew the moment you started comparing me to a god damn cow, you idiot. And while I’m at it, let me spell something out for you too.” He uses the momentum of Adam’s last little wriggle to lift him up off the ground ever so slightly only to slam his head down on the floor, just enough to deter him from moving again. He leans down again to stare him right in the face, growling lowly. “ _ I don’t care.” _

" _ Ghh- _ " His teeth clench together, the slam making his head swim as the pounding in his forehead double. His eyes squeeze shut as the pain filters through him, deep breaths whistling through his nose. He feels breath on his face and peeks an eye open, letting it widen in shock as he hears those last three words. He doesn't... care? What? Why? How? His breathing levels out as he narrows his eyes on him. "...What do you mean?"

The anger, the rage still boils and bubbles away in Richard’s gaze, his face now flushed red with exertion, with adrenaline, his black, almost perfect hair half spilled over his face, casting his expression in shadow. Somehow, in the light of the moon shining out of the window, the darkness building up under those eyes of his suddenly seem much more pronounced. Burning anger that seemed like an inferno, trapped within cold, shining silver irises that glinted like the way the light dances along a knife. His voice is slightly softer when he speaks, low and controlled, hands still clutched tight over Adam’s wrists. “..I don’t care that you eat people. I don’t care that you make it a hobby, or a passion, or whatever you choose to call it. I’ll still offer you whatever you could want. I’ll still offer you the whole damn state to do as you please. Burn Chicago to ashes, routinely pick people out of the population to slaughter and turn into food at your leisure, or simply turn the entire city itself into your own personal hunting ground. I don’t care that you murder. I don’t care that you eat who you kill. All I care about is that you  _ consider _ my words. That you realize what  _ I _ can give you.”

Adam blinks, taken aback by the admission, and his eyes clearly show that. There was shock, confusion, disbelief. He shifts under him, something in one of his pockets digging into his back somehow, and he huffs. "And what about after I consider your words? Don't try and tell me you aren't going to kill me if I don't say what you want me to say."

His eyes narrow ever so slightly, those metallic eyes that glimmered and shone in the moonlight, and he sees his lip curl into a soft scowl. “Don’t be foolish. I’m not one to kill all because of what someone wishes to do for a hobby. The only reason I’m even holding you like this is because you haven’t been listening to me. That, and everyone saw us leave that bar together. If  _ either _ of us go missing, then people will eventually put two and two together. I don’t want an even bigger bounty on my head, especially not one that shows off my face and name. So, no. I won’t kill you.”

"There  _ are _ ways of pinning it on someone else, or making it look like an accident." He narrows his eyes in return. "I've already hit my head a few times. Bring me out to one of the parks and crack my head on a rock. Or toss me out at the lake. Gangs do that plenty of times, and I'm a crime reporter. Obvious."

“No.” He scowls a bit harder, and his hands tighten over his wrists. “I’m not going to do that. Not when I know that I can give you something  _ better _ than  _ this _ .” He doesn’t move his hands, but it’s clear he referring to the small murder cabin they’re currently inside. “I’ve been in your place. Everything is boring, monotonous, a rut and cycle that slowly  _ saps _ the life out of your own body and you just can’t bear to deal with it and leaves you bleeding, hopeless, defenseless,  _ weak _ .” His voice dips even lower, a bitter growl of hatred. “It builds and builds, gnawing and clawing and screaming for more, until it’s finally eaten away at everything you have and all you can do is  _ tear it out _ of your empty chest and rip it to pieces.” 

Adam shifts again, clenching his fists as he talks and keeping his face carefully frozen with those narrowed eyes and forced smile. He doesn't say anything for a long moment, and then, "Whatever piece you're talking about tearing apart, I've long since abandoned. Don't act like we're the same when we're not. I've been killing since I was seventeen. I hung my father in a tree after tearing his ribs from his body. Don't try calling me  _ weak _ for having schedules and routines."

“I shot a man who thought of me as his best friend in the head, point blank, with my own gun.” An icy anger builds up in his gaze once more, and their heads grow a touch closer. “I’m not calling you  _ weak _ , I’m trying to tell you that I can  _ help _ you. I don’t care who you want to slaughter and eat, why you eat, or anything. All I care about is that we both live through this night, you hear me?” He slowly pulls his head back just a touch. “I’m not letting go. I can hold on for the rest of the night. They’ll come looking for me when the sun comes up and I’m not at the inn. They’ll ask around. They’ll find me. Find us both. What will you do then?” There was a slight pause, and he lets out a sigh. “..I want us both to live. Not just because I value my own life, but because I’ve never met a killer before. Someone who’s so willing to take lives with their own bare hands and have the type of  _ pride _ to be able to  _ smile _ about it. I’ve only seen it once, and it’s always when I looked in the mirror. Nowhere else. I don’t want to ruin it and never find it again.”

Adam starts to respond after the comment about killing someone who trusted him (who hasn't done that, or wanted to, honestly?) but he stops himself as Pentious continues. His brows furrow and a sour look crosses his face as he mentions his little posse. He presses his lips together, then reactively widens his smile as Richard points it out, and he looks off to the side at the final comments. "So  _ that’s _ what you saw in me that kept you from pulling the trigger." 

“...Yes.” He sighs, softly, though his grip doesn’t lessen once. “I know what my goal is, in life. My goal is to make the world burn and to topple the whole of society and reduce it to ashes. I carry pride in this goal. I treasure for the day that it comes, and by God, I will  _ not _ let myself be killed before that day arrives.” There was another slight pause. “And I’m hoping that you’ll at least be able to see it. Share in the delight I’ll feel when I’m watching all of London be reduced to a burning wasteland.”

He narrows his eyes at a particular word and looks back to him. "At least? What are you talking about?"

That gets him to blink a touch, and he stares for a moment. “I merely meant that I hope you’ll be around to witness the destruction I can bring to the world when it comes. After all, even when I let you go, should you choose to not accept, I can’t guarantee that you’ll still be alive when my day finally comes. There are many things that can and  _ will _ kill you, with the lives we’ve both decided to choose. All I’m saying is that you don’t need to worry about being killed by  _ me _ .”

"...And 'choose not to accept' what, exactly?" He shifts again, his joints uncomfortable with how he's pressed against the ground.

“My offer. My offer to join my crew. To join in the robberies, the train heists, all the way up to when I unleash my plans to destroy the whole of the current society forever.” He keeps his grip firm but loosens it ever so slightly. “I can’t offer all the things I said I could give you  _ yet _ , but belonging to a crew of robbers and murderers certainly can’t hurt, right?”

His expression gets more and more confused as he talks, the concept seeming entirely foreign to him, until it seems to finally break something in his mind and his eyes widen in shock. "Are you... recruiting me? To be a part of your gang of misfits?" His brows tighten again. "Wouldn't the others be worried about a cannibal in their midst? It's not particularly appreciated in common culture, hence the whole...." He tries to roll one of his hands. "Lonewolf deal I have going on."

“Heh.” A slight smirk finally lifts up Richard’s lips, and a soft glimmer fills those eyes of his. “As long as you don’t keep it a secret and you keep the cannibalism to victims of train wrecks, it won’t be that much of an issue. Of course, you’ll probably have to do it out of sight, just to make sure no one gets squeamish, but other than that...”

"Hmm." He shifts, seemingly for a different reason than comfort. "I haven't worked with people in years... I may be a bit... rusty. Even with communication. Well, honest communication."

“Rusty how?” He raises a brow slightly, and he slowly moves a hand, the one not keeping the knife hand pinned, slowly downwards, freeing up his wrist a touch. “If you feel as if there could be..problems, you could always talk to me and work things out that way. Great minds and whatnot.”

“Hmm.” He narrows his eyes for a moment, softly, though there’s no anger or malice behind them, looking pensive. “..Doesn’t mean you can’t relearn the steps to communication. And even if your emotions don’t work, that doesn’t mean they haven’t always not worked.” He tilts his head. “Doesn’t it seem better than just...being alone? With no one?”

"I've never been a fan of crowds." He tries to shrug, though he isn't sure how well it comes across. "Unless I'm in the spotlight, I suppose. Not particularly conducive for the criminal life. Jealousy is quite the poison."

“I suppose. Though...What exactly are you jealous of? Or, rather, what  _ would _ you be jealous of?”

"Oh, no!" He laughs at that and the grin on his face grows in brightness. "I mean that others get jealous of me. I don't blame them. I'm excellent at almost everything I do."

Surprise briefly flickers through Richard’s face, but a grin soon takes it’s place, and he lets himself chuckle. “Oh, oh no, I assure you, there won’t be many of my gang that would want to shove  _ you _ out of the spotlight. Especially not if it’s one that involves how well someone can properly flambé some poor man’s spleen.”

“I never  _ have _ tried flambeing.....” He raises a brow, eyes flicking back and forth as if he were doing calculations in his head. “I should pack all my good cooking gear, and alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol.”

Richard stares at him for a moment, stares down at the man with the grinning face, his face illuminated by moonlight, his eyes showing hesitance, uncertainty, and no longer displaying the wicked aggression and burning delight that he saw within his own gaze. He slowly loosens his grip just a bit more, softly. “...Does that mean you’ll accept?”

"Um." He blinks. "It means.... I'll think about it. I think." He stares up at him, then pouts somewhat. "I guess that means no dinner for me either way."

He glances at the knife, still clutched in his hand. He adjusts his grip on his wrists, ever so slightly. “Hmm...I’d be more inclined to let you go and let you get something to eat if you let go of the knife.”

"I need something to kill someone with." He raises a brow, smirking. "Still afraid I'll try killing you again? How cute."

“I’m a cautious man when it comes to threats against my life, as I’m sure you’ve guessed. Considering what I have planned, I don’t take them lightly.” He narrows his eyes a touch despite the smirk, and even then, his own lips start to twitch upwards in a bit of a grin. “I’d be impressed if you manage to find suitable prey at this time of night, however.”

"You and me both. Hence my comment on not having dinner." He stretches his arms a bit, his knees drawing up behind Richard. "I don't do things sloppy, even if it means I have to wait."

“Hmm..” There was a long, long pause, and Richard’s eyes narrow again, staring down at his face, looking over it for any signs of deceit, of bloodlust, of ensuing plans to plunge that knife against his skin and spill his blood onto the floor. He felt the muscles of his arms starting to burn from trying to hold this strained position, and after a long moment of silence, only broken by the sounds of the crickets chirping outside from the midnight air, he slowly loosens his grip on Adam’s empty hand, his fingers uncurling from his wrist and pulling away.

He hums, flexing his newly freed hand, and watches Pentious. The man  _ could _ try to take his knife if he wanted to. Or grab something from one of the drawers. Or be tricking him into joining only to hand him over for bounty. He isn't sure if he's wanted yet, but who knows. "Tell me more about your little gang."

Richard stares for a moment, their eyes still locked together, and Adam sees no kind of deceit in his gaze. Just the gleam of those pupils, dilated from adrenaline, slowly shrinking back down, his face still red and flushed, his grip on his remaining hand idly starting to loosen, just a touch. “..They were a group of laid off factory workers, fired and dumped on the streets, all because they either fought too hard to have their rights within the factory changed, or because they were deemed as useless trash. They turned to crime not soon after, to unionize, and it wasn’t long before they happened to stumble upon me. At that point...” A smirk grows on his face ever so slightly, satisfied, smug,  _ proud _ . “I had already began to craft and plan for my eventual goal. Had already begun to hone my talent towards weaponry. They held me hostage in my own home, and after that, I managed to compel them to let me into the group, with the offer that I could give them the most powerful weapons in all of London. And, not to sound too smug, but I like to think I delivered on that promise.”

"Oh really?" He raises a brow. "You mentioned taking out thirty people in one go. Noisy, but effective, I imagine. How gorey did it get? Were there any screams?"

“Oh, there were plenty of them. I could hear it all, even from a distance. The screams of the people shouting for help from the police, the crowds scrambling and rushing to douse out the flames. The eventual crash from the building toppling over like a stack of cards and the screams  _ that _ caused erupting through the streets.” He chuckles a touch. “People practically thought that Armageddon had finally come. It took at least three days for all of the bodies to be dug out of the rubble, and when there weren’t bodies, there was nothing but  _ bone _ .”

"Well, well, well. You must have made quite the device to pull that off." His grin widens, pleased by what he hears. "And what about the murders you're more closely involved in? The ones you see up close?"

“Heheh. Sometimes the folk we take for ransom during our little heists have seen too much. Sometimes they become too much of a waste on our resources to keep alive. Other times it’s when we just don’t feel like actually handing them over in the end.” His eyes narrow, and he lowers his face, just a touch, smirking, teeth starting to grow visible. “It’s usually me that does the honor of shooting them. Not nearly as bloody as your little knife practices, I’m sure, but definitely effective enough in making victims fear for their lives, wouldn’t you agree? Death is still death, all the same.” He chuckles a touch, recognizing a bit of the humor in how just precious minutes ago he was fending for his own life. “But of course, my methods of guns aren’t exactly the most simple.” His eyes narrow, almost in a challenging manner. “I have bullets that set people ablaze. That can dissolve their flesh into a puddle. I might even have a few  _ more _ designs planned in the future.”

"Oh, how interesting." He smirks right back. "I'll admit that I prefer working with knives and similar objects, but I've used a gun or two in my life. Setting people on fire...." He chuckles at the thought, the image of some poor soul dancing about trying to douse themselves. "They say that's one of the most painful ways to die. Tell me, were you going to do that with me?"

“Set you on fire? Oh, no no, if that gun were filled with those types of bullets, this house would already be set ablaze considering one of them hit the ceiling. No, when we go into public, I only use regular bullets in my handgun. A lot less flashy, true, but much less conspicuous. Wouldn’t do to walk around with flesh-melting bullets when you’re trying to be little more than a poor crippled man, right?”

"Haha! Of course." He chuckles a little more at the thought, then a bit more at another thought he doesn't verbalize, and relaxes his still pinned hand, letting go of the knife. "You're quite the interesting case, I will say. Incredibly smart."

“I take that as quite the compliment. Consider me  _ flattered _ .” His eyes glance toward the knife, and after a moment, he moves to slowly loosen his grip on Adam’s remaining hand. There was a slight pause, before he finally moves to let go of Adam entirely, moving to slide off of him, his legs splayed against the ground, trembling, and he lets out a heavy sigh, eyes closing as the ebbing pulse of adrenaline began to fade from his body.

Adam takes the moment to sit up, wincing as the ache comes back to his head and his vision goes blurry for half a minute. "Ugh. I hope this isn't the beginnings of a concussion." He pats his chest after a moment and resets his monocle on his eye. "You're pretty strong, you know, but Sir Isaac Newton has you beat."

“I’d apologize, but you  _ were _ trying to kill me a couple moments ago.” He cracks open an eye to glance him over, though he does grimace a touch at the line of crusted, gritty blood that was caking the left side of his forehead.

Adam chuckles at that. "Of course. No hard feelings! Merely pointing things out. Hahh..." He holds his head for a moment, then pulls himself upright by the counter, wincing. "We should probably patch ourselves up, don't you think?"

“Yes, probably.” He too, tries to brace himself against the counter, grunting as he tries to pull himself upwards, but his legs tremble and wobble precariously, burning, growing more numb by the second, and he momentarily sags back against the ground. “Mmh...I hope you aren’t planning on walking me anywhere else because I think my legs are almost spent...Can you pass me my cane?”

“Of course.” He walks across the room and carefully kneels down to pick up his cane, walking back to him and holding it out. “I may need some help gauging the cut on my forehead, if you wouldn’t mind lending a hand.”

Richard quietly takes his cane, pressing it against the ground, bracing himself on it’s end, one hand clutching it tight, the other clutching the edge of the counter. After a low, strained grunt that slithers out through the man’s gritted teeth, he slowly pulls his legs up underneath him, and pushes himself up to a standing position, back slightly hunched, breathing a bit heavier. “Of..Of course. Do you mind if we sit down for that though?”

“I’d much prefer it, in all honesty.” He grins widely. “Do you want any help? I imagine I did quite a number on you earlier. Apologies.”

“Ah, I’m fine. All I need is maybe some ice for my wrist. There may also be a slight bruise on my back, but it should be fine.” His eyes flick to him. “I’m more worried about that cut. Didn’t  _ quite _ mean to make you slam your head into the counter.”

Adam chuckles at that, moving to a small ice box. “Well, you know what they say: the taller they are, the harder they fall.” He rifles through the contents, glass bottles clinking. “I don’t think I’m seeing ice, but I’ve got vodka.” He pulls out a small bottle only the size of his hand. “You can hold the bottle for something cold.”

“Heh.” A slight chuckle leaves Richard’s lips, and he smirks at that, softly, amusement glimmering in his eyes. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were  _ trying _ to get me  _ drunk _ .” He chuckles again, then glances toward the living room. “Where should we sit? Here or on the couch?”

Adam smirks at the comment, walking over. "The table here would be better. You'll want water and rags to clear the blood, and whiskey to clean...." He looks off for a moment as he hands over the bottle of vodka, then nods. "That's in the bathroom. I'll be right back.”

“Of course.” He moves to take the vodka, at first using his less injured hand, before moving towards the table, sighing softly as he sits down in a chair. He passes the cold bottle to his more injured hand, wincing slightly as the chill of the bottle meets the hot throbbing of his hand. It was probably little more than a light sprain, nothing entirely worth too much fuss, but it still hurt a bit. He watches as Adam moves around a corner, dipping out of sight, and it’s only when he does so that Richard lets his own hand move to his cheek, feeling his cheeks grow just a touch more warm, amidst the idle feeling of his heart pounding fiercely in his chest. He could still feel the sensation of that hand on his cheek. It had felt very warm. Almost tender.

There's a sound of rustling and running water, and then more footsteps as Adam returns with a silver bowl filled halfway with water and a pristine white towel laid half in the water and half over the edge. Another towel hangs on his other arm, his hand holding a medium sized bottle of golden whiskey. "Have you ever done this before?"

Richard picks up his head at that, watching him for a moment, before nodding. “Yes, I’ve had to help stitch up some of my crew back when they got a few scraps or cuts. The girls taught me a few things in case I ever got separated from them during a heist or if we ever need to run from the law and I get injured.”

"That's good. I ran out of thread the other day, but hopefully it's not that bad." He carefully sets the items he had brought in front of Richard. "I can pull some from one of my old jackets if it comes to it."

“I don’t think it will need stitches, but it  _ will _ probably leave a scar. I hope you’re fond of those, because I don’t think it will be the type to simply fade away.” He gestures to the chair next to him, turning his own chair to face him. “Sit, please.”

"Yes, doctor." He snickers a little at the formality and takes a seat. "Scarring doesn't faze me, though I've never gotten one on my face before."

“Count yourself lucky it’s not a massive scar. I’ve seen plenty of criminals out here who at least have one scar on their cheek, or their chin. Sometimes even on their eyes. Those are the worst ones, because usually the eye is dead and it’s gone all foggy.” He moves to take the towel that was dipped in water, carefully wringing it out so it’s dripping wet, his other hand moving toward Adam’s forehead, only for it to pause. “..May I? Touch you, I mean.”

He blinks, barely registering that he had shifted away at the movement, but nods and shifts back to him with a small chuckle. "You may. And yes, I know quite a bit about those gentlemen. I've met and known quite a few in the last few years, since the war, you see. Shrapnel is one hell of a thing."

“Oh, it certainly is.” A bit of a smirk lifts his lips at that last sentence, and he can’t help but chuckle, even as he lets his hand drift onto Adam’s forehead, using a thumb to push his bangs out of the way to expose the crusted, bloodied wound. He gingerly moves to scrub at the skin with the towel, seeking to wipe away the dirt and grime from the dried blood, trying to be as gentle as possible. “I’ve seen man being reduced to bloody pieces from shrapnel alone. Of course, the chunks of metal that flew through the air were much bigger and more deadly, considering they were the pieces of the train’s hull.” He chuckles a touch harder. “Those that don’t get immediately eviscerated are either reduced to wet smears of viscera from being tossed away by the blasts or are left shaking and bleeding from all the metal that went into their skin. It’s like their flesh went and turned into damn pin cushions.”

Adam's brows raise, momentarily messing with Pentious' work before he belated makes the decision to only raise one brow. He doesn't wince with all the rubbing so close to the wound though. "That does sound rather delightful. I'd like to see something like that for myself, I think. Heheh. Do you with we could have someone alive going through that? Walking about with all these bits and pieces sticking out of them?"

“Are you asking me if I think there’s someone out there who survived that or are you asking me if we can hold a hostage and shove him full of bits of metal to see if he’ll die?” He flashes a smirk at him at that, eyes narrowing just a touch before he moves to dunk the towel into the water yet again. “I don’t mind either way, of course. It’s good to experiment to see how much trauma can be delivered to the body before it gives out. Gives me  _ plenty _ of ideas for new weapons and new methods.”

“Oh, either one, dear, but I could tell you all about the capacity of the human body.” He closes his one eye as water starts trickling down his face irritatingly slow. His grin widens to show off his teeth again. “Sometimes I find someone between mealtimes just to see how long they’ll last under certain pressures. Blood loss usually wins out before most everything else, so if you really want to experiment, you’ll have to stay away from arteries and organ damage.”

“Interesting.” He chuckles a touch at that, smirking even wider now, moving the towel back to his forehead to start scrubbing again at the caking blood, careful to not irritate the skin surrounding the wound. “Makes me think of bullets that could leech poison into the flesh. Slowly fill the body with toxins that slowly kill them overtime. Makes them sick, feverish, possibly even paralyzes them so even if they manage to run, they can’t actually get away.” A sadistic glimmer seems to fill those eyes of his at that, satisfied and eager all at once, as if congratulating himself for his own genius but at the same time relishing in the idea of actually bringing such a horrid weapon to life.

“I can certainly bring you candidates for trials, if you so wish.” Adam takes in his expression, the sadism and pride put into the statement. The man really did enjoy his kills, even if they weren’t necessarily by his own hand. “It really is fascinating to find someone with similar hobbies and talents, I will say.”

Richard’s eyes meet his own at that, before they flick away as he finally pulls away the wet towel for good, placing it down against the table before picking up the fresh towel as well as the bottle of whiskey, taking a moment to uncork it before placing the towel against the lid, slowly flipping the bottle over to let the whiskey soak into the towel’s fabric. “I can say the same about you. Sure, my crew surely loves to benefit off of my weapons and the cash and the fancy privileges it can offer them, but they never really want to  _ discuss _ them. They never think to ask the  _ fascinating _ questions. They always ask things like “How long does it take to make you those bullets? How much gunpowder do those explosives need? What angle should we try to shoot the train at?” He sighs and shakes his head, flipping the bottle back over, deeming the cloth sufficiently soaked. “It’s honestly a bit  _ boring _ .” Their eyes meet again, and his smirk turns into a gentle, almost fond grin. “But you...You know exactly how I feel. To kill people with these weapons. To cause their end. To set their bodies ablaze with fire or to spill their blood across the dirt.  _ You _ understand. You get it.”

Adam chuckles, tilting his head gently and letting his eyelids lower. “To do something for the satisfaction of it and not have anyone else relate is certainly an annoying spot to be in, isn’t it? You want to revel in the destruction even after it’s all happened and done and over with. You need someone to talk to about it, so you can let it all out. Isn’t that right?” He brings a hand up under Penitous’ chin, merely putting a finger against his skin there as another chuckle plays through his lips.

Richard’s eyes widen at the feeling of that finger resting against his skin, at the soft, almost tender look that was filling Adam’s eyes, so different from that wicked gleam that he had seen when he was pinning him to the table but at the same time so very similar. It was enough to make his blood shiver within his veins, and he couldn’t help but feel his cheeks beginning to flush, to grow warm, the longer he was staring into those soft, warm eyes. After a moment, the shock of it wears off, and though his cheeks still flush, a grin moves to overtake his face once more, chuckling softly. “..Yes, it certainly is. I have no shame in admitting such a thing. I’ve never met anyone else that knows what it feels like. But it seems I’ve finally found someone, haven’t I?” He lets the whiskey-soaked towel press to Adam’s forehead, gently pressing over the wound.

Adam winces from the sting of alcohol on his wound, but lets out a small chuckle as if to cover the pain. “That you have indeed.” The pain mellows as he becomes used to it and he watches Richard’s expression remain softly flushed. Such a silly man. But absolutely right in all the wrong ways. He gently pushes Pentious’ hand away from his forehead and pulls his jaw closer, pressing their lips together without a second thought.

Richard’s breath almost seems to catch in his throat the moment he registers the feeling of Adam’s lips pressed against his own, warm and soft, the feeling of his fingers curled around his jaw, cupped so tenderly but at the same time so  _ firmly _ . It was enough to send a rush of heat down his spine, a prickling sensation of desire that leaves his blood shuddering in his veins. He forgets about the wet cloth in his hand, forgets the idle throbbing in his wrist, and he slowly brings his hands up to rest against Adam’s shoulders, his eyes flickering shut, merely taking the time to savor the feeling of the kiss. Adam leans further in, moving his hand up to his cheek, his other hand moving into his hair. Pulls back half an inch for another breath and dives right back in, inching closer to the edge of his seat. Richard feels the hand sliding through his hair, feels the other slowly slide up to cup his cheek, and he feels his spine shudder, feels his pulse flutter even harder than it did before, and when their lips slowly pull away, his eyes open just enough to meet Adam’s own, and for a split moment, they simply stare. Then, as if that paralysis was suddenly broken, the kiss slams back together, harder, firmer than before, and Richard can’t help but let himself shudder at the feeling, his arms moving to Adam’s sides to wrap around his back, drawing him even closer. “Mmmph~..”

He feels his seat start to slide out from under him and he quickly moves his hands, one to the back of Richard's chair and the other to the table beside them. The kiss breaks as he stumbles, chair clattering to the floor, him now standing but bent at the waist in a futile effort to stay lip locked. He pants at the kiss and sudden surge of adrenaline, nose now pressed to his temple. "Mm. I don't know if I can blame that on brain damage."

Richard’s eyes snap open at the sound of the chair clattering, at the feeling of the kiss breaking and of those hands pulling away, and he can’t help but flush even harder, desire and embarrassment causing his cheeks to burn like hot coals. He clears his throat a touch, leaning back in his seat to glance at Adam’s face, his hands not moving from his back. “..A-Apologies. I...That was not intended.”

"Hm?" He shifts a little to better look at him, but he keeps his one hand on the back of his seat and doesn't move too far away, still bent to be on eye level with him. "What do you mean?" He smirks. "Pulling me out of my seat? Or that little noise you just made?"

Those words only cause a prickle of heat to wash down his spine, and he feels his ears start to burn, his heart practically fluttering in his chest as he feels his blood start to grow hot. “...I..I might just have to say both, if honesty is a factor.” His eyes flick down to his lips, then back up to his eyes, and his hands slowly clench into fists against Adam’s back.

Adam slides his hand away from the table and to the other side of the chair, taking a step forward and carefully sitting in his lap. He brings his lips closer. "Is this alright?"

Richard feels his entire frame tremble with desire, unmistakable in it’s intent, and he can’t help but shudder, their lips practically inches apart now, those eyes staring into his with a sharpened gaze that almost made it feel as if he was being pinned down all over again. He feels his heart flutter, feels his mind grow frantic with want, and he nods softly. “M..More than alright.”

"Good." His hands move back to his face and hair again, caressing and tangling as he presses their lips together again, shivering at the feeling and pulling him closer, hand tightening in his hair on sheer impulse.

“Mm~!” He feels the hand curling into a fist within his hair, feels the sensation of their lips crashing together again, deeper, harder than before, and he can’t help but let himself groan into the feeling, his hand clenching down on the fabric of Adam’s undershirt as he presses back into the kiss, tilts his head to offer a better angle, one hand already moving upwards to also caress and stroke through his hair, the other starting to stroke up and down the length of his spine.

Adam hums, their lips making a wet smack as he shifts ever so slightly, and he shudders as a hand slips into his hair, another moving over his back. He shivers at the unusual (for him) touches, and sharply breathes out through his nose. "Mmph~"

Richard shudders at the sound, at the feeling of that hum vibrating through his lips, and he can’t help but press the kiss even deeper, slowly, carefully opening his lips up to let his tongue slide over Adam’s bottom lip, before retracting it, not wanting to go too far. He pulls his hands away from Adam’s back and hair for only a moment so that he may peel off his gloves, letting them fall carelessly to the floor before his left hand moves to bury itself in Adam’s hair once more, the other moving to stroke over his back yet again. “Mm...”

" _ Mmph~! _ " Adam shudders fully at the feeling of Richard's tongue on his lip, the feeling incredibly foreign but pleasant at the same time. When he feels skin contact in his hair, his hands clench, tightening on his hair and jaw, and he lets himself pant for a moment before diving back in and slipping his own tongue out from behind his lips.

The kiss pulls apart briefly, only briefly, and Richard’s eyes open just enough to catch a single glimpse of Adam’s own before their lips lock together once more, and when he feels the sensation of a tongue sliding over his lips, he can’t help but let his own tongue slide out to meet it. His spine can’t help but stiffen, can’t help but arch into the feeling of their tongues sliding together, of that hand clenching down against his hair, and the hand on his back drifts down to rest on Adam’s thigh. “Mmmph~..”

Richard slowly squeezes his hand down on Adam’s thigh, trying to keep things slow, trying to keep his movements careful, not wanting to overstep any boundaries, even as their tongues continue to slide, softly swirling together, his spine tingling with pleasure, his skin feeling as if it was growing hotter with each passing second. It wasn’t long before he slowly pulls away from the kiss, retracting his tongue, pulling away his enough so that he could properly speak, lips still inches away, his eyes opening as he takes a deep breath, shuddering from the rush of lust and adrenaline that was making his mind slightly fuzzy, and he clears his throat a touch. “..Do...Do you want to stop? I..I’m only asking because I don’t want to make you feel as if you  _ need _ to keep going..”

Adam pants as Richard pulls back, the hand curling around his thigh sending sparks through him. "Mm, you're... quite the chivalrous one, aren't you?" He nuzzles his forehead, closing his eyes for a moment. "I never do anything because I need to, Sir Pentious. I do them because I  _ want _ to." He peeks an eye open. "And I just so happen to have a rather comfortable bed in the other room."

Pentious can’t help but feel his breath catch in his throat at the offer, at the implications, and he can’t help but feel his entire face start to flush, lust making his blood run hot in his veins. He lets his hands move to wrap around his shoulders, a smirk starting to grow over his face, narrowing his eyes, as if it were a challenge. “Heheh..As if I could say no to something like that.”

Adam chuckles and gives him a short kiss. "It probably says something that I just want to pick you up and take you off, doesn't it?" He kisses him again, humming gently into the touch.

Pentious shivers slightly at the kiss, at Adam’s hushed words, and he lets the kiss continue for a few moments, feeling it grow just the slightest bit deeper before he pulls away, chuckling softly, despite how close their lips are. “I definitely say it does. How far is the bedroom?”

"Oh, it's out the door over there, further down the hall." He nods over in the direction. "Maybe.... Twenty, thirty feet?"

“Something tells me we’d wind up on the floor instead.” He flashes a bigger smirk at that, chuckling, but moves to grab his cane in a hand anyway. “Perhaps if you help me walk, we’ll get there faster.” He glances down at how Adam is practically in his lap. “Or, you could always try picking me up and carrying me to save the hassle of my legs. I don’t mind.”

"I'd be honored to carry the most infamous of all villainous types to my most humble of sleeping areas." Adam pulls himself away, kissing his cheek before pulling Pentious into his arms, easily picking him up, smile wide.

Pentious reflexively tenses up his grip on his cane as soon as he leaves the ground, but as soon as it registers that Adam wasn’t stumbling or in danger of falling at all, he can’t help but chuckle, letting himself smirk in amusement, leaning closer to Adam’s face, eyes half-lidded. “Well, well. Looks like you’re quite stronger than I thought. How lovely.” He presses a kiss to his lips, one that was a bit more passionate, a hand coming up to cup Adam’s cheek, but he pulls away before it can last, chuckling. “Better hurry. I might not be able to keep my hands to myself.”

Adam's eyes flicker closed at the kiss, then open as he pulls away and smirks.  _ "I _ might not be able to keep my hands to myself." He starts walking, careful not to bump Pentious's head or legs against the walls or doors. "As for my strength? I like being more than I seem."

“Clearly. After all, I went into your home thinking there was nothing else to you, didn’t I? And then the moment I turn around you pull a butcher knife on me and threaten to kill me and devour my organs.” He chortles, as if it were the funniest thing to ever happen to him. “So terrifying. So unexpected. I  _ loved _ it.”

"Oh, you like being surprised? I can definitely do that quite a bit." He kicks his door open, showing off a desk with a stack of papers in one corner, a bureau in another, and a modestly sized bed in the other. "Maybe I'll get the terror aspect in a little  _ less _ next time."

“I certainly would prefer a little less attempted homicide the next time we decide to do this sort of thing, yes.” He glances around the room for a few moments. “Though I do admit, and maybe this was the wine we had earlier talking, but I certainly found being pinned to that table had quite the thrill.”

"Oh, really?" Adam sets him down in the middle of the bed and resumes his position on top of him, kissing him softly as he pulls Richard's hands away from his shoulders, slowly moving them above his head. "How about we try some of this then?"

The feeling of his hands being slowly being pulled away from his sides, to being pressed against the cold, smooth wooden surface of the headboard, all the while left to stare into Adam’s eyes, their faces so close, is enough to have the man shudder, and he can’t help but let his legs slowly move upwards to wrap around Adam’s waist, in an attempt to trap him in close, to pull himself close, already feeling his spine starting to tingle with want. “Mm..That sounds absolutely  _ perfect.” _ He moves to start to roll his hips ever so slightly, trying to start some friction, his heart pounding and his cheeks burning, eager to continue, eager to feel those lips on his own.

"Mm, I do like perfect." Adam hums, pressing another kiss to his lips and rolling his hips in response. He pulls Richard's lower lip into his mouth, rolling it between his teeth. "Mmm...." He presses closer to him, tightening his grip on his wrists.

Pentious can’t help but groan at the feeling of those teeth against his lip, at the feeling of their hips slowly grinding together against their slacks, and his back slowly arches into the feeling, into the sensation, the feeling of Adam’s hands slowly tightening their grip on his wrists making his blood shudder within his veins, the soft fleeting moments of pain blending with the heated pleasure of their kiss. “Mm..” He presses his head closer, leans himself deeper into the kiss, letting his tongue move to slide against Adam’s lips, hoping to taste him once more.

"Mmm~" Adam lets his lips open, lets their tongues mingle and wrap around each other, leaning tighter against his chest and tightening his grip further on his wrists. He snaps his hips up, making the headboard rock against the wall with a thud. He does it again, quivering at how satisfying the sound is.

_ “Mmmm!” _ Pentious’s back can’t help but arch at the feeling, at the sharp, sudden friction from those bucking hips, the sound of the bed rocking and slamming into the wall being enough to make his cheeks flush, his muscles tingle, and he can’t help but begin to rut his hips harder, rolling them at a harsh, steady pace, swearing that he could begin to feel his cock starting to throb within his slacks. He tilts his head to deepen the kiss even more, moaning at the feeling of that tongue, practically coiling around his own.

_ "Mmph~!" _ Adam grinds into him, heat pooling in his stomach, and his hands slide down his arms to start delicately pulling at his bowtie, undoing it properly rather than pulling every which way. He easily pops two buttons away shortly after, sliding his hands under his clothes and mapping over his skin. _ "Mm~" _

Pentious’s eyes flutter at the feeling of those hands sliding down to pull apart his tie, to slide beneath his clothes, the sensation of that warm skin, so soft against his own, it’s enough to make his spine quiver, his mind swarm with heat, so much so that he can do little else but whimper. He can’t help but let a hand drop from it’s place on the headboard to wrap around Adam’s shoulders in an effort to try to roll his hips even harder, the squeaking of the bed only getting more intense as he does so, the kiss finally breaking so he can tilt his head back to breathe, eyes foggy with lust, voice practically strained. “Ahh~...Hahh~...Ohh..Oh God~...Nnn...”

"Mm, I don't think God listens to poor sinners like us anymore." Adam chuckles lowly, kissing down his chin, mouthing along his throat, hands deftly undoing the rest of his shirt as his lips meet his collarbone. He scrapes his teeth against flesh, just enough pressure to make small welts, and groans into his chest.

“H-Hahh~...Mm..M-Maybe not...But it feels nice to make Him watch, doesn’t it?” His words are breathless as he feels those warm, wet lips slowly trail down his throat, pressing to the pulse of his heart, to the cartilage lining his jugular, as if Adam was lining a trail of embers down his flesh, burning hot and leaving phantom sensations of pure heat against his skin, each and every tender kiss being enough to make his eyes flutter and his hips roll just a touch harder into the heated embrace of the bulge within the man’s slacks. He feels the scrape of teeth, sharp yet also dull, and he can’t help but let the hand on Adam’s shirt clench into a fist, breathing starting to deepen into sharp, excited panting. “Ahh~! Mmm...Oh..Hnnn...Fuck~...”

"Mm, such naughty words." He holds back another groan, biting into his side to muffle any of the noises threatening to spill out. His hips rock against Pentious, and then loosens his jaws and presses his forehead to his shoulder before starting to undo his pant buckle. "Mind saying some more?"

“H-Hahh~!” Pentious’s back cant help but arch at the sensation of those teeth digging into his side, biting down with a fierce intensity that made his flesh tremble and his cock  _ throb _ within his slacks, his hips rutting up against nothing as Adam’s own hips pulled away. He could practically  _ feel _ the bruise forming over his skin with each and every second those teeth stayed clamped, and when they finally released, he couldn’t help but whimper, his hands now digging into the sheets just so they had something to hold, his cock practically quivering within their confines, his panting growing more feverish in tempo. “Ahhh~..Nnn...” He feels fingers slide over his buckle, feels warm breath brush over his stomach, and Pentious couldn’t help but shudder, whispering under his breath. “Oh God~..”

Adam chuckles breathily, finally undoing the buckle and working on the button, his palm pressing into the bulge in Pentious's pants as he does so. He kisses against his ribs and pulls his pants open and his cock out, breath stuttering as he impulsively strokes over him. "Mmm~...."

“A-Ahh~!  _ Ahhh~!” _ Pentious’s entire frame seems to stiffen at the feeling of that palm slowly pressing downwards, slowly  _ grinding _ against the outline his cock made in his pants, his hands clenching into fists, his back arching, his hips craning upwards and quivering, his head tossing itself back in pure bliss as his eyes squeeze shut. He feels the buckle and the button finally loosen, feels the sensation of a warm palm closing over his shaft, dragging it out into the cold, open air, and all his legs can do is feebly shake as he tries to squirm into the touch. “Ahhh~! Hnn, f-fuck~! D-Don’t stop! Ahh! Please!”

"Mm, and what If I did?" He smirks up at him and presses his lips to his base, shivering at the warmth and heady scent drifting off him. "Nngh, mm~" He licks a stripe over his cock, flicking over his tip and lapping at the fluids dripping from there. He hums at the taste.

Pentious’s breath practically leaves his lungs all at once the moment he feels those lips press to his cock, the moment he feels that warm breath and that soft, cooing voice practically purring, his bones left to shiver helplessly at the sound. That tongue feels like a trail of flames as it slowly slides up his skin, and he can’t help but whimper, biting his lip in an effort to muffle the noises that desperately want to leak out, hips already starting to jerk, to roll forwards into the tantalizing wetness of that mouth. “Ahh~..Mmm~...I..I...” He falters, going quiet, eyes cracking open only to squeeze shut again.

“Mm~” Adam shivers as he feels him roll against his lips. “So eager...” He shifts himself just a little more, all but laying on his stomach between his legs, suckling over his tip and stroking the base of his cock, looking up at him to see the flushed bliss on his face. A smirk curls across his face and he parts his lips to take him in, shuddering as the next thrust makes his head bob.

“A-Ahh~..” Pentious’s eyes flutter open once again as soon as he feels those warm lips, that tongue that was slowly dragging itself back and forth over the tip of his cock, slowly move to wrap around it, to suckle, to draw it in, and he swears he feels his pulse quiver within his neck, feels his heart shudder, and he can’t help but slowly reach down with a hand to bury it in Adam’s hair, stroking, petting, trying to keep his hips as still as possible even amongst the pleasure, thighs quivering feebly. “Hnn~..Hahh~..”

Adam looks up again as he feels the hand in his hair, meeting Pentious’ eyes as he starts to bob along him, tongue pressing against his underside and trailing heavily. He sucks in as he feels a small amount of drool slip down his cheek, swallowing the taste of precum.

The sight of Adam’s eyes, half-lidded and foggy with lust, with a calm, firm gaze, is enough to make Pentious shudder, enough to make his cheeks burn like hot coals, and he can’t help but watch the movements of his lips as he slowly begins to bob his head, slowly begins to push his mouth downwards, and the feeling of those teeth just barely scraping against his flesh, of that tongue, so wet and heavy. He feels a shudder down his spine, feels himself but his lip even more, and he can’t help but look away from the sight, eyes squinting shut as he begins to try to roll his hips, weakly, legs quivering as they attempt to aid, to join in the steady rolling rhythm, all the while his hand slowly begins to run through Adam’s hair. “Ahh~..H-Hnn...Ah, p-please...K-Keep going...F-Feels..amazing..”

He hums around him, eyes flickering closed at the soft touches, and bobs faster, swirling his tongue and suckling. One of his hands strokes his base, his other rubbing over his hip and side, nails scratching into his skin.  _ “Mmm~....” _

The flare of pain, dull yet also sharp, trailing like tracks of flame along his side, just below the bruise of teeth marks, blooms along Pentious’s flesh, and he can’t help but whimper, back starting to arch, starting to move away from the fabric of the sheets beneath as he struggles to start thrusting his hips harder, enticed by the feeling of those lips and their searing warmth, by that swirling tongue and the glorious sounds that rumbled in his bones. “A-Ahh~..Ahh..F-Fuck...Oh God..” He lets his hand slowly start to tighten into a fist, and he starts to try and quicken the pace, thrusting harder, biting his lip as he does so. “Mm! N-Nnn!”

Adam groans around him, matching his pace, taking him a bit deeper and shivering as he feels him hit the back of his throat. His nails dig deeper into his side and he pulls himself a bit closer, his other hand moving around to his back. He presses his tongue against him and feels his face flush further at the obscene wet noises, legs squeezing together to keep from rutting into the mattress.

_ “A-Ahhh~!” _ Pentious’s spine reflexively arches at the pain from Adam’s nails, at the sensation of his cock sinking further into the deep wetness of his mouth, and he tries as much as he can to keep himself from bucking, from losing his control, not wanting to have Adam choke, a sheen of sweat starting to form around his brow, his skin, his heart pounding, his blood rushing, his mind starting to let his thoughts grow frenzied with lust and passion. His panting grows faster, harder, and he finally starts to buck into the searing warmth of Adam’s tongue, to roll his hips to the best of his ability, his other arm coming up to drape itself over his face, his eyes, feeling the skin of his lip splitting beneath his teeth. “Mmm! Nnn~! A- _ Adam~! _ H-Hahh~!”

_ “Mm~” _ He presses closer to him, bobbing and desperately trying to keep pace , flushing and moaning around him as that hand in his hair tightens and retightens. His hands rub over his sides and back, coaxing him, and he sucks harder, cheeks hollowing around him.

“A-Ahh~!  _ Hahhh~! _ Ohh, h-hnnnn~!” The pressure, the wetness, the deep, searing heat of Adam’s mouth, it all felt so wonderful, so glorious, so much so that Pentious almost felt as if he had actually plunged into Adam’s esophagus, and he couldn’t help but tighten his grip against the man’s hair, starting to pull harder against him, to pull him closer, hips starting to rock even harder against his face, practically grinding against him, his thighs weakly trying to clamp down on the sides of his head, trembling all the while. He could feel his cock throbbing, could feel his blood practically boiling within his veins, fingers starting to quiver, muscles burning with relentless energy, and it took all his restraint to not just plunge even deeper.

“Mmngh~ hmm~  _ mmmph~!” _ Adam quivers, eyes fluttering and rolling back as Pentious thrusts into his mouth, tongue lapping around his cock and sucking even harder. He stops bobbing, letting him control the tempo and thrusts, squeezing his sides between his hands.  _ “Mmnn~” _

The sounds that erupted from Adam’s throat, loud and heavy and so very  _ lovely _ despite the muffled volume, could be felt against Pentious’s skin, vibrating through his flesh and bones, and just the feeling of it rumbling against his skin, the carnal sounds of his pleasure and just how much he was enjoying this, was enough to leave Pentious shaking, and he finally moves to brace himself, pulling his arm away from his face to push down against the mattress, pushing his back up from the bed in an effort to further increase the tempo of his thrusts, panting and shaking all he while, his head tossed back and his hand now practically  _ yanking _ at the man’s hair. “F-Fuck~!  _ Fuck~! _ Ahhh~! D-Don’t-Don’t stop! Don’t~!  _ Ahhhh~! _ H-Hahhh~!” His hips were practically snapping against Adam’s lips now, rolling and thrusting with as much ferocity as he could muster, and he could feel the tingling rush of his euphoria as it began to build. He was getting close.

Adam wraps his arms tight around his back, feeling his lips bruising at the rough snaps of his hips, lungs starting to burn as he braces himself, digs his nails harder into his skin. He could feel his cock hitting the back of his throat now, roughly, the hand in his hair tightening and twisting.

Pentious’s hips roll and thrust to the hardest of their ability, his spine arching and his limbs trembling with every single rough  _ snap, _ and at the feeling of Adam’s hands digging into his back, at the rough sensation of those lips tightening their grip, at that lovely tongue doing it’s damndest to swirl, to drain him dry, he can’t help but gasp with bliss, panting and shaking all the while. His hips snap up once, twice, thrice, before they finally snap up a fourth time and go stiff, Pentious’s head tossing back even harder than before as he finally feels himself reach his peak, hand yanking against Adam’s hair all the while, determined to keep those lips as close as he could, voice ringing throughout the room as he cries out in ecstasy.  _ “AHHHH~!” _

Adam shudders at the sounds, hands flexing and flattening against his back as he comes, cum spilling into his mouth and down his throat, each spurt making him shudder all over again, swallowing carefully and relaxing against him ever so slowly, breathing harshly through his nose.

After what felt like an eternity of nothing but an inferno of heat, slowly washing over every inch of Pentious’s frame, he slowly collapses back onto the sheets, slowly goes limp against the mattress, his hand gently uncurling from Adam’s hair, his thighs falling away, his hips twitching and quivering ever so slightly. His eyes were closed, and his mouth was open, chest heaving as he fights to catch his breath. “Hahh~...Hahh...Hahh..”

Adam pulls back, gasping in a proper amount of air and looking him over, shirt and pants undone, skin flushed down his chest, an obscenely pleased look on his face. He smirks, wiping the drool from his chin and leaning back a bit more. “That was...  _ lovely.” _

Pentious, after a moment of heavy breathing, slowly cracks an eye open to glance Adam over, and were his cheeks already not flushed to their fullest, they no doubt would’ve flushed even harder at such a beautiful sight. He slowly lets a grin form over his lips, and he lifts a hand to stroke over Adam’s hair, chuckling weakly. “..I...can’t help but agree. That was...downright amazing..”

“Mm.” He leans into the hand, shivering lightly at the after feelings of tugging, and his body heats up again, the bulge in his own pants twitching at the thought. “I have many conflicting thoughts on what to do right now.”

“..Conflicting, you say?” He raises a brow at that, his grin turning into a tired smirk. “Please, tell me more.”

“I want to kiss you, but I want whiskey to wash out the taste in my mouth, but moving even the tiniest bit-” He shifts and shivers again as his pants, still entirely buckled and buttoned, grind against his cock. “Mm~”

“Mm..” His eyes glance down toward his pants, towards the bulge that resides in his slacks, and though his lip throbs from the self-inflicted bite, he can’t help but let it curl between his teeth again. “Seems like you have your own little worries right now. How do you want to deal with it?” He glances up toward him, gazes locking together.

“Mm, I think I’d be fine with mostly anything at this point.” Adam leans toward him. “I had my way with you. It’s only fair you get the same.”

“Heh...Is it now?” He shivers at the sight of Adam slowly looming over him, those beautiful eyes staring down into his own, and he can’t help but let a hand come up to slide beneath the fabric of his shirt, letting his palm softly stroke over the man’s chest. “I might be getting a few ideas..”

“Oh, is that so?” He nuzzles his nose against his cheek and nips his chin. As Pentious feels under his shirt, the skin isn’t smooth but jagged, scars crisscrossing over his ribs and sternum. He hums and shivers again.

“Mmm..” He shivers softly at the nip, moving his head to press a soft kiss to his lips, even as he works to unbutton Adam’s own shirt, his hand slowly moving down to stroke over his stomach, his sides. “Indeed. One idea is that I...repay the debt, if you catch my drift. The other is that I repay the debt..in a different manner..” He lets his hand momentarily slide down to gently squeeze the bulge of his cock, smirking all the while.

“Mmm...” He hums at the soft kisses, then groans at the squeeze, pressing his hips into his hand.  _ “Mmmngh~ _ ahhnn~....” He pants softly as heat pools across his face. “I - I think I’d like that very much.”

“Mmm..Perfect.” He chuckles, letting his smirk grow as he moves to unbutton his pants, letting his hand slowly sneak beneath the fabric, fingers carefully, almost delicately wrapping around his shaft, and he has to bite his lip for a moment, feeling a shudder of desire roll down his spine.  _ “Mm..” _ He moves to pull his cock out into the open, starting to idly stroke, making sure to keep his pace gentle, his fingers loose, his thumb occasionally sliding over the tip.

"Mm~..." He shudders and softly rolls his hips into his hand, pressing their lips together again to muffle his noises. He brings his arms around his shoulders and pulls them closer.  _ "Mmmnn~" _

Pentious can’t help but shudder at the feeling of those lips, pressing so feverishly to his own, of being dragged upwards, their chests practically touching from how close they were now pressed together, and he lets his hand idly squeeze down on his cock, a way to tease, before resuming his strokes. He lets his palm start to rub just a touch harder against the shaft, lets his grip tighten just a touch, before squeezing again as his hand slides down toward the base.

"Mmm~ ahh~ nnngh~!" Adam pulls his lips away to gasp, pressing his face into his shoulder as he rolls his hips into his hand at the tighter grip.

“Hehe..Feels nice, I hope?” Pentious can’t help but smirk, letting his lips idly press a kiss to Adam’s ear, letting his hand squeeze down yet again, tightening his grip just a bit more, starting to stroke harder, a touch faster, more steadily. “Go on..No need to be shy..”

"Mmm~" He groans into his shoulder, rolling harder into his hand and scratching his nails down Pentious's back. _ "Nngh~" _ He bites his lips against more noises, face brightening as he hears himself.

“Hhh~!” Pentious can’t help but shudder at the sudden sensation of Adam’s nails sliding down his back, his hand momentarily squeezing down even harder on his cock as a result, and he lets himself shudder, his other arm coming up to stroke over Adam’s back, chuckling despite the pleasure making his blood simmer. “Careful..Might get me excited again, my dear..” He lets his thumb move to grind against his tip, savoring the slick wetness that he feels against his skin.

“Ahh~....” Adam arches into him, hands flattening against Pentious’ back and smoothing over the welts he had put on him. “Mm, can’t help myself...  _ God, _ that feels so good,  _ mmm~...” _

“Mm..Does it?” He can’t help but chuckle to himself as he moves to stroke Adam a touch faster, twisting his wrist ever so slightly as he does so, eager to hear more of that lovely voice.

“Ahh,  _ God,  _ yes~!” He groans before he can catch himself and ruts into his hand, warmth pooling in his navel.  _ “Nnngh~, more, please...” _

“Heheh. More?” He pauses, bringing his hand to a stop, with nothing more than an idle squeeze along the shaft, thumb resting against his tip. He presses a soft kiss to his temple, smirking. “Tell me what you want, then. I can’t continue without  _ context.” _

Adam half-whines, half-growls, rolling his hips still but it wasn’t nearly enough. “Mm, now I’m regretting not teasing  _ you _ more.” He pants softly as he pulls his head back enough to see Pentious’ face, eyes narrowing at the smirk on his lips. “You know what I meant.”

“Do I?” He chuckles a touch, letting his thumb slowly swirl over his tip, gazes locked. “Is it so wrong that I want to hear you say it?”

He flushes, shoulders hunching even as a groan pulls from his lips. “P-perhaps at this stage. Mm~....”

“Mm..” He momentarily lifts a hand to cup Adam’s chin, pressing a soft kiss to his lips, even as his other hand proceeds to squeeze down on his cock once more, starting to stroke all the while, twisting his wrist as he starts to squeeze down harder, harder, a little bit harder with every single stroke. He had a bit of a theory and he wanted to test it out..

“Mm~... mmm~  _ mmmph~!” _ Adam shudders and arches into his hand, lips pressing closer to Pentious’. He shuts his eyes as he sees him watching him, another moan slipping from his lips as he bucks his hips.

“Mmm..” He hums softly, letting his hand fall from Adam’s lips to trail down to his thigh, starting to dig in his nails, dragging them down ever so slowly, starting to stroke faster, base to tip, the sounds from his palm sliding along the slick flesh making his cheeks flush.

His eyes flutter and roll back as small amounts of pain trace down his thigh, hips jerking as Pentious’ pace quickens. His hands tighten on his shoulders, trying not to dig his nails in, short breaths puffing out his nose as the kiss continues.  _ “Mmnngh~” _

Pentious pulls his lips away from Adam’s own with a soft chuckle, though he does press a soft kiss to his chin, letting his nails dig in just a touch harder, his palm now starting to stroke and squeeze to the rhythm of Adam’s own bucking hips. “I’m getting the distinct impression that you  _ like _ pain, Adam. Would you say that’s  _ accurate?” _ He accentuates the last word with a firm squeeze to his cock.

“A-ahh~....” His flush worsens. “You say that as if - as if you  _ don’t.” _ He groans aloud, all but entirely red now, hips thrusting harder into his hand. “Mmmng~...”

“Mmm...Oh, I’m aware. I was honestly aware the first time you pinned me down against that table.” He lets himself smirk, moving his hand up to his side, dragging down his nails yet again, just as hard, just as firm. “I just think it’s rather  _ cute _ to know that you harbor that same lust is all.” He chuckles, leaning in to press a trail of kisses to his neck, slowly moving downwards, still stroking his cock, still squeezing down, increasing in it’s tempo with every soft press of his lips to Adam’s skin.

Adam shudders, biting his lip as Pentious digs his nails in, but unable to hold back a gasp, that steady increase in strokes building the pressure in his gut. “Mmm~... Just don’t stop...  _ fuck....” _

“Mmm...I don’t plan to..” He can’t help but smirk against Adam’s skin, feeling his pulse beneath his lips, and lets himself start to slowly nip at the flesh of his neck, not to hard as to bruise, but just enough to surely be felt, his nails starting to drag back  _ up _ his side, just as slowly, leaving a thick cross cross of red lines starting to grow over his skin. He squeezes down, twists his wrist as he reaches the tip, and as his lips begin to creep over his shoulder, Pentious can’t help but let his teeth start to slowly clamp down, to bite, slowly increasing the pressure, wanting to feel the man  _ squirm. _

_ “Ahh~... _ Mmm~!” He presses into his hand and tilts his head to the side to give him more room. He quivers, shaking as the pain registers and smoothly translates to pleasure, bringing a hand up to Pentious’ head and pressing him closer. “Hhahh, mo-  _ faster, _ please... Mmn, so good.”

Pentious can’t help but shudder at the sound, at the noises Adam was making, so close to his ear, and he lets himself start to dig his teeth in even more, feeling a bruise starting to swell beneath his jaws, pulling his mouth back for just a moment, swiping over the poor aching flesh with his tongue before sinking his teeth right back against it all over again, his hand now creeping around to slowly drag his nails down his back, their bodies pressing so close now that he can actually feel the tip of Adam’s cock brush against his own stomach. The feeling was enough to make him shudder, make him groan, and he flutters his eyes shut as he fights to start stroking even harder, the obscene sounds making his blood shudder.

_ “Mmm~ _ ahh~! Hhhoh god~” He bucks into him, his thrusts becoming sloppy and disjointed as he rolls his hips, the pressure growing as he grips Pentious’s shoulders, his muscles tensing under his teeth and drawing out another long groan. He can feel the burning lines down his back from his nails, even the marks on his thighs still ache. He clutches at Pentious’ hair just to have something to anchor him, his senses starting to go fuzzy as he feels his climax approaching. “Ahh,  _ mmmngh, fuck, f-fuck~!” _

“Mmmph~..” Pentious feels the yanking sensation to his hair, feels the way Adam grips it in his fist, and his eyes come close to rolling back in his head, his nails digging in even harder as the hand on his back slowly clenches into a fist. “Mmm~, mmmm...” He finally feels the sensation of skin breaking under his teeth, feels blood, warm and metallic, bubble up against his lips, and he lets his tongue swipe across the marred flesh, groaning, his own hips starting to quiver.

_ “Ah-ahh~!” _ Adam’s arms tighten around him as he comes, bucking against him and pressing his face into his arms to muffle some of the noises he makes. He quivers and bucks another time just from Pentious’ tongue swiping over the new wound again.

“Mmmph..” Pentious can’t help but groan at the sensation, shuddering at the feeling of the mess splashing against his stomach, his chest, spilling over onto his hand, and his eyes momentarily flutter closed, gently suckling at the wound on his shoulder, his heart still pounding away within his frame. After a moment, he slowly pulls his face away to smirk, chuckling softly, feeling his cheeks flush ever so slightly. “Mmm...I dare say that was even more lovely.”

Adam carefully pulls away, seeming almost weak with euphoria, swaying ever so slightly in place. “Mm, I can second that.” He brings a hand to his shoulder, shivering as he feels blood under his fingers. “Wow, you really bit me.” He smirks at him, then brings his hand up to Pentious’ lips to wipe a small drop of blood from the corner of his lips.

Pentious feels his cheeks flush a touch, and he brings up his own hand, the one not soaked, and wipes at his lips, feeling a slight rush of heat slide down his spine as he does so. “I..Yes, I suppose I did. Odd how I’m the one that’s making you bleed and not the...other way around.” He clears his throat, glances at the bite, noting the faint ring of purple lining the small trickles of blood that were oozing out of the indents his teeth made, and he feels himself flush a touch harder.

“Aside from the obvious point of where my lips were,” Adam smirks at him, licking his own blood from his fingers, “I figured taking a bite might worry you a little bit too much, given our very short history.”

Pentious feels his ears start to burn a touch, and he can’t help the shudder that slides down his spine at the thought of those teeth being sunk into his skin. He bites his own lip for a moment, glancing away, feeling his shoulders hunch a touch. “Well...I think any worries about your, erm..hobbies was kind of tossed out the window the moment we kissed. So..”

"Of course." He chuckles and pecks his cheek. "How about we get cleaned up now? And patch ourselves up again."

“Heh.” That soft kiss is enough to bring a grin to his face, and he chuckles a touch, nodding. “Of course, of course. Though I suggest you  _ don’t _ kiss me again when I start applying whiskey to your wounds, or else we’ll never get anything done.”

"No promises." He chuckles and shifts off the bed. "Want some help to the bathroom?"

“A little help would be preferred, yes.” He blushes a touch at the mess that was smeared to his stomach, and he moves to tug his pants back up. “I should be fine in the morning. I just need a little sleep to get my legs back in working order is all.”

Adam stands, fixing his pants as well before glancing at him again, specifically his hands. "Okay. I'm going to pick you up, and you're not going to smear that on me or my shirt."

That gets Pentious flushing even more, though it’s clearly more out of embarrassment, and his eyes narrow a touch, as if he was offended but not entirely sure what to say, almost seeming to huff. “Oh, just shush your sauce box and do it so I can get this stuff off.”

"Of course." He looks him over again, then scoops him up and turning toward the door. "You really are seeing almost every room in my house today. Lucky you."

“..Yes, I suppose I really am, aren’t I?” He chuckles a touch.

•••

Adam was very warm and comfortable when he woke up. He was on his side, which was only somewhat strange, and he had slept so well he didn't even want to get up, or open his eyes for that matter. He snuggles further under the blankets, then goes still as he feels something press against his chest. He feels something brush his feet and his eyes snap open, staring at a mass of black hair just inches in front of him.

"Um." His face flushes, mind slowly catching up to him as he recalls their wrestling match and their  _ other _ wrestling match.

There was a soft, idle twitch from Richard’s frame in front of him, a soft jolt that Adam could feel against his chest, and after a long pause of silence, there was a soft yawn, accompanied by the feeling of the man’s back arching off of his chest as he moves to stretch, arms slowly moving above his head, hands curling into stiff fists. After a moment, Richard’s frame relaxes, sinking back into the warmth of Adam’s embrace, and his voice mutters softly under his breath. “Mmmh...I take it that you’re awake?”

"Um. Yes." He relaxes after a moment and sets his head back onto his pillow. He slowly pulls Richard against his chest. "Hmm. I've never woken up with another man in my bed before."

“Heh...I’ve never actually  _ slept _ with another man before. Or anyone in general.” There was a soft shaking to his shoulders as he lets out a bit of a sleepy chuckle. “It’s kind of funny, isn’t it? The first person I sleep with not only being a man but also a deranged cannibal?”

"You may be pushing it with deranged, Mister." Adam chuckles in response, poking his chin. "And it's my first time as well. I've never cared for it."

“Really now?” He tilts his head back more to glance at him, raising a brow. “Not quite the impression I got last night. Are you telling me that was all spur of the moment?”

"I'm good at improvising." He smirks lazily, pulling him closer. "Glad I could impress."

“Mm...And I will admit, impress you certainly did.” He smirks right back, hands coming up to rest on Adam’s own, chuckling a touch. “Heh. I wonder what my crew will think. Walking up to the inn with you and telling them that you’re a new recruit. Heheheh. The surprise will certainly be hilarious to reveal, I’ll have to admit.”

"Mm, it will certainly be quite the riot." He snuggles closer to him, shouldering the blanket further up to his ear. "Do you think they'd make any other assumptions?"

“Mm...Such as what? Depends on the type of assumption you’re asking about.”

"What we did last night." He nuzzles his hair. "I did take you home after a few drinks. And I did share you my own bottle of wine at the bar."

“Hehehe.” He chuckles a touch at that. “Yes, they might, but if you’re at all concerned, then there’s no need to fret. Lily and Christina have been openly together for at least a good 8 years by now, and everyone in the crew is fine with it.” He gives one of his hands a squeeze. “So even if they do, it’s not like you’ll need to worry.”

"If I didn't kill people in my spare time, I'd be more concerned." He squeezes him. "I merely don't enjoy talking about sex. It makes me uncomfortable."

Pentious can’t help but raise a brow at that, smirking. “My dear,  _ no one _ likes to talk about sex. Not if they haven’t already had it with the person they’re talking to. I don’t think they’re going to  _ ask _ you about what it was like to have sex with me, much less bring up the topic at all.”

"No, I'm much more different. I'm usually very..." He takes a breath and huffs. "Sex itself is something I tend to stay away from. I don't care for it like other people do. You're different, but...." He shrugs, at a loss for words.

There was a slight moment of silence before the comprehension sets in, and he nods softly. “Ah, I see.” He tilts his head a touch, giving his hand a squeeze. “Though I won’t think it will be an issue, you can always come talk to me if something does come up, ok?”

"Of course." He chuckles lightly and nuzzles his cheek again. "Perks of locking arms with the boss, I suppose. I hope I don't make anyone jealous."

“Jealous of me? Or jealous of you?” He can’t help but move to press a kiss to his cheek, smirking all the same.

"Mm, I suppose either one would do." He smirks in kind and presses their lips together on a soft kiss. "Same kind of ire, either way."

“Heheh. I suppose. Though I honestly fear for anyone that winds up being jealous of you. God knows what you’d do if someone tried to flirt with me.” He snickers a touch at the thought, before moving to sit up, his arms once more stretching over his head, back arching softly. It was then that Adam catches sight of his spine. Not only were there small red lines from where his nails had dragged down earlier from last night, but there were also scars, many of them, each of them looking to be about a few inches thick, pale with a soft pink hue that indicated the flesh beneath had long since healed. Some looked to stretch a few inches long, while others were barely the size of his pinky, and there was a notably larger, thicker scar, just on the edge of the base of his spine. It stretched horizontally, from end to end, just barely ebbing to a stop along the curves of his sides.

Adam stares for a moment, merely taking him in. He knew Pentious had probably done the same (or at least tried) last night. The idea of him having scars on his chest and Pentious having scars on his back was a fleeting sort of cosmic symbolism, he guessed. He dismisses it in an instant and slowly gets up, wrapping his arms around Pentious's middle and propping his chin on his shoulder. "We don't have to get up just yet, you know."

“Mm..” He leans into the warmth of his chest for a moment, a small grin overtaking his face. “..Perhaps not...” He goes silent for a moment or two, then chuckles. “5 more minutes. Then we eat breakfast and get going.”

"Yes!" He giggles and pulls him back into the pillows. "I can make anything you want. You decide."

“Heheh.” He turns around to face him more fully, arms coming up to wrap around his shoulders, nuzzling the bandages that had been wrapped around the wound that he had made last night. A slight flush forms over his cheeks at the memory. “Mm...Eggs. With buttered toast. And bacon.”

"Ooh, I've got myself a simple man. Lucky me." He chuckles, nuzzling his temple in response.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back with another first meet drabble in the nineteenth century! This chapter features an alternate scenario of Adam and Sir Pentious meeting on board a train. Shenanigans ensue, per usual.

The train eases to a stop and the passengers on board shuffle as people gather their things and leave. A few people step on, the Indiana air dry and hot for the time of year. A young man wearing suspenders and a button up carefully eases his way down the aisle, stowing a single suitcase before finding a seat. He spots a man about his age, maybe a little older, and grins at him with the slightest raise a brow. “Excuse me, is the seat next to you open?”

The man, wearing what looks to be a simple sweater vest as well as a long sleeve beneath, glances up at him for a moment before gesturing to take the seat. “I don’t mind if you sit down, if that’s what you’re asking.” The man looked to be a tad on the paler side, straight black hair cascading down his back, and as Adam moves to sit down, the man merely shifts to look out the window, a cane pressed against the floor between his knees, one hand idly resting atop it’s end while another was curled into a fist beneath his chin.

“Sorry if this is a bit awkward, but is that a British accent? Central London? Oh, I’m Adam, by the way.” He offers a hand, settling in his seat. “My father used to have overseas friends from the area.”

The man, blinking, visibly taken aback by how he was still talking, slowly moves to glance towards him again, taking his hand to give it a shake. “Er..Yes, I’m from England. Brooks. Richard Brooks.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” He grins, all smiles and teeth. “So what brings you out into the great ol’ Indiana? Or should I say Illinois?”

“Traveling the countryside. Looking for business, I suppose. You?” He glances out the window again as the train’s horn blares from the engine, signaling that it was almost ready to depart.

“Visiting a few friends, looking into a job interview.” He shrugs lightly. “I hear Chicago is the place to be, but it’s a bit more city than country.”

“Hm, that seems to be the story for most of the East, I hear. The East is becoming industrial, while the West is basically little more than a lawless wasteland.” The man, or rather, Richard’s, eyes narrow a touch, before the train horn lets loose another blast, and he sits back more leisurely in his seat as the lurch of the train’s wheels rumbles under their feet.

“Well, the East is where all ports are, so it makes sense that they’d grow them out. The West isn’t all too bad, though. Don’t listen to the majority on that one. The forests? To die for. Literally.” Adam chuckles, glancing out the window as the train starts moving.

“I’m guessing that means that deaths in the forests tend to be more common?” A bit of a grin lifts up his lips at that.

“Ah, here and there. Wolves, bears, coyotes, even the odd mountain lion. They’re all over the United States.” He shrugs again, leaning back more in his seat. “I personally recommend keeping a hunting rifle with you, bare minimum, if you’re going into the woods anywhere west of... well, honestly, anywhere with lots of forest.”

“Heheh. Ohh, trust me, I doubt I’ll be going anywhere near any forests anytime soon. I might have, when I was younger, but, well,” He offers an idle shrug, still grinning. “Legs aren’t what they used to be.”

“Ah, happens to the best of us. I’ll be honest, practically blind in one eye.” He points to the right side of his face. “Monocles are getting in, though, so it’s a good excuse to try out some better fashion.”

“I see. Maybe I’ll try finding a cane that’s been lined with gold in order to appear more spiffy. Really put the butter on the bacon, if I’m getting flashy with what appears to be truly stylish these days.” He lifts his cane in the air slightly, giving it a soft wiggle.

Adam chuckles a touch. “I can see gold being your color. Matches your hair, actually. I take it you usually keep it long?”

“Hm?” He blinks, then seems to catch on, moving to tuck a strand behind his ear. “Oh, yes, indeed. It always had a tendency to grow longer than most and I never enjoyed the thought of constantly having it cut short over and over, so I merely decided to let it be.”

"Well, it looks really nice. I don't think most people could pull it off, but you manage it. Though now I'm _really_ seeing gold on you." His smile turns sheepish and he laughs a little as he catches himself looking him over. "Sorry, I was in fashion for half a year and now I think I know everything."

Richard seems to blink, his eyes going wide a bit at that, and a slight flush begins to build over his cheeks, though after a moment he merely lets out a chuckle, a hand moving to adjust the bow tie that sat around the collar of his vest. “It’s no worries. Let’s me know that I’m at least keeping my appearances in top shape. Wouldn’t want to slowly start looking like something that the vultures would be circling around, now would I?”

Adam catches himself laughing again. "Hey, you're stealing my lines. Usually _I'm_ the one making people laugh, not the other way around."

“Hmm.” His grin becomes a bit wider at that, showing off a sliver of bright white teeth. “A comedian, are we? Got any good jokes up your sleeve?”

"Oh, I'm a bit more situational, but let me see..." Adam taps his chin. "Ooh! What do you call a belt with a watch on it?"

His eyes narrow at that, and his smirk grows at that. “Would it be a “waist” of time?”

He snorts and nods his head. "A bit easy, I suppose. Let's see... What did the buffalo say to his kid as he dropped him off at school?"

“Hmm..” He taps his chin a touch at that, looking pensive for a moment. “..I’m not sure. What?”

"Bison!" Adam struggles to hold back his laughter.

Richard’s shoulders hunch as he fights back a wheeze, and his shoulders shake, turning his head away as he tries to control himself. “ _That_ -That was just _awful_! Com-Completely horrible!” He clears his throat, regaining his voice somewhat. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Adam's grin stretches and he pulls himself together long enough to say, "Did you know that the shovel was a ground breaking invention?"

Another chortle, this one lacking a wheeze, though Richard still turns his head away, not wanting his laughter to get too loud for the other passengers. “Oh good God, you’re just full of funny little quips, aren’t you?”

"One word of advice: don't do business with people who know acupuncture. They're back stabbers."

“Oh lord.” He rolls his eyes at that one, though a laugh still laces his words. “I know you seem like the sort to be a gigglemug but now you’re just making it too obvious.”

"I can't help myself." Adam let's himself chuckle some more. "One day I figured out I could mess around with words, especially phoenetics and all, and jokes would come out. I swear, people wanted to gag me because I wouldn't stop."

“I can only imagine.” He rolls his eyes, finally composing himself enough in order to glance out the window again, showing that the train station had disappeared almost entirely from view, and his grin actually fades away. “Hmm. How long do you think it’s going to take to reach Illinois?”

"Well, the station wasn't all too far from the border, so it shouldn't be longer than an hour or two, given the wildlife don't interfere." Adam glances at some of the other passengers. Most are quietly chatting or reading.

“Hmmm. I see.” He raises a brow at that. “I assume you mean wildlife as in a herd of deer blocking the path or some sort.” He chuckles a touch. “Wouldn’t that be a gruesome sight to behold?”

"Oh, happens all the time." He chuckles in return. "Sometimes they get so caught up in the wheels they have to slow the train down and all."

“Oh _lord_ .” He drags a hand down his face, another hand moving up to rub at his temple. “Just _thinking_ about all the internal damage to the cogs and gears gives me a headache.”

"Oh, usually it does nothing, actually. The steel made out in Philadelphia is some sturdy stuff. Practically snaps bones in two, even if it's just cogs."

“You may say that, but at the same time, all it takes is a single screw to jar itself loose or for some interior parts to start rusting and the whole thing falls to pieces. Trust me, I know my way around machines.” He flips out what looks to be a pocket watch out of a pocket in his vest, dangling it in the air to show off the bright shining silver. “Used to be a watchsmith back home. Made this one myself and I’ve been keeping it tuned ever since.”

"Oh, really? You appreciate a good pun _and_ you're talented." He smirks. "I wouldn't worry all too much. I've seen them clean these things when it happens. They have people who go under the chassis and everything. I've been hearing rumors of them finding a way to keep things from rusting as fast too, but I'm not entirely sure what it was all about. Sounded either like a paint or some cleaner fluid or something."

“Have you? Hmm, I’ll have to ask one of the engineers what exactly their secret is. I normally would ask the conductor, but, well, they merely guide the trains. Can’t hold a finger to the ones who build them and keep maintenance on them, after all.” He tucks the watch back into his vest, just as there were a few muffled sounds that ruptured beyond the walls, faded, but very much there. It was clear that more than one person heard it, as their heads picked up from their novels, from their newspapers, and began to turn about with murmurs of confusion, not knowing what the sound even was.

Adam glances at the other passengers, then down the aisle of the train car. "Huh. Hopefully it's just someone who got drunk on the rails again. Happens from time to time."

There was another laugh from Richard, a hearty chuckle that seemed just as mirthful as the last one, and he even moves to wipe away a bit of a tear in his eye. “Oh, that was a good one. I don’t even care if that was meant to be a joke or not. It was still quite funny.” 

There was a subtle, but ever so present lurch under the train tracks, under the floor beneath them, as if the wheels had momentarily shifted, or rolled over something that wasn’t there before.

A few people yelp, thumping in their seats from the small bump, and Adam himself has to shift his weight to not shift or slide. "I, uh, didn't mean that as a joke, though I'll agree that the drunk and disorderly are quite hilarious at times."

“Very true, very true.” He chuckles a touch, and his eyes move to glance out the window once more, only to blink. “..Tell me, the track to Illinois is mostly a straight line, yes?”

"Um, yes, from what I understand. Why?" Adam glances at him, then turns to look out the window. The track is actively curving, turning south, if he could remember his directions right. "Oh. That's... not good."

He nods softly, staring out the window, at the curving track that really should have no physical logic being there at all. “Yes, quite. Very concerning.” 

There were more muffled sounds now, except this time, they were clearer, louder, and followed by the sounds of screaming. Shapes suddenly billowed past the windows, rolling violently across the ground in misshapen blurs, and it’s only when a flash of red is seen amongst the smeared shapes and colors that the truth of it all smacks Adam right in the face; the sounds they were hearing were gunshots, and what they were seeing was the bodies of the guards as they were shoved off the train.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." He leans into the aisle again, peering toward the car with the gunfire in it. "Of course. First Pennsylvania, then Ohio - Indiana and Illinois are next." He swallows, trying to gauge the distance to the door. "Richard, what is your cane made of? Is it wood?"

“Y-Yes. Why do you ask?” The man blinks at such a statement, reflexively holding his cane closer to his chest, starting to look a bit more pale in the face, a bit more worried. The gunshots were getting louder, coming from the car in front of them, and the people within were starting to shout, starting to panic and babble, clearly understanding the danger they were all about to be in.

"Dammit. I was hoping metal to jam the door." He leans back, glancing down at the opposite door. "If they've gotten the engineers already, then we can't do much."

“Then what can we do, exactly?” He glances him up and down. “Are you the type to have a gun on you?”

"In my suitcase." He pulls himself out of his seat and hurries closer to the front of the train, closer to where the gunfire was coming from. The train jerks a little on the new tracks and he stumbles forward, hands on the overhead storage to steady himself.

It wasn’t until that he straightened from the sudden stumble that he hears the sound of footsteps clacking, and just as a louder, more horrified scream pierced the air from one of the other passengers, Adam feels the cold sensation of metal press to the back of his head. Richard’s voice was right behind him, cold, steely, and dripping with smug satisfaction. “Careful to watch your step, my friend. These tracks certainly are a bit more rough than the standard model.”

"Oh, come on." His grip tightens on the overhead compartments, and he looks over his shoulder at him. "You blinded me with your love of puns. How cold do you have to be?"

“Cold?” That smirk was back on his lips, but now it had a much more sinister intent beneath it. “I never quite been called that. Evil, wicked, sadistic, but never cold. Heheh. That’s a new one. Congrats for coming up with a brand new name to call me.” He pulls the hammer back on the gun. “Anyone in this car who moves or attempts to move will have to watch this man die, got it? Any of you attempt to be a brave volunteer is going to have to deal with the fact that your callous bravery is going to get this amusing little man’s brains splattered all over the walls.”

"Please, don't bother helping. I'm a veteran." He narrows his eyes on Richard over his shoulder, then faces forward again. "Just do as the man says and we'll all be fine."

“Glad to hear you understand.” There was a soft, patronizing pat to Adam’s shoulder. “Though, I am curious...You did seem to catch on rather quickly as to what was happening. You even listed the names of a few states. Where oh where did you ever happen to know the exact locations that train robberies have occurred?”

Adam shifts, hearing the gunfire ahead start to slow down. "I tend to keep up to date on crime reports, especially odd ones. They..." He waves his fingers without letting go of the luggage containers. "Newspapers enjoy the pieces written on them."

“Ahh, I see. You’re a _journalist_ . How lovely. How _annoying_.” The gun presses a touch harder against the back of his head. “Those always tend to launch the media into a frenzy. Hmm...What to do with you..”

He bites his tongue, cursing himself. Of course the man wouldn't want a journalist anywhere near him. He'd say the same thing if they were in switched positions. "I'm not formally a journalist. I do freelancing work. I'm not tied to a specific newspaper or business."

“Are you now? And how long have you been performing this freelance work, hm?”

"About a year, give or take." The train hits another bump and he tightens his grip to keep from moving much. "Before that, I worked with telegraphs, passing communications from one place to another. Before that, Civil War." He shrugs.

“Telegraphs, you say?” His voice seems to grow a bit louder at that, and he chuckles. “Oh, that is just _perfect_.” The gunshots finally cease, and Richard smirks as the door begins to slide open. “Ah, Gunther, perfect timing, my friend! Could you do me a favor and knock the man in front of me out, please? Don’t kill him; I think we might be able to have some use for him.”

"Oh, please, you can't just put a blindfold or bag over my head like most people do? I will let you tie my wrists together." Adam turns his attention away from Pentious and toward the man named Gunther, huffing as he looks up at him. "You don't even know my name yet. That's just poor manners."

Gunther, who seemed to be quite the tall, rather muscular man, let’s out a bit of a chuckle, before he cracks his bloodied knuckles. “Ah, don’t worry, we will learn it when you wake up, I’m sure.” He reels back, and the last thing Adam sees is the sight of those fists barreling toward him _very_ quickly before there’s a burst of white-hot pain, and everything goes black. 

•••

"...think it's been long enough?"

"Hard to tell. Gunther hits pretty hard."

"What if he hit too hard?"

Adam feels his eyes open before he even tries to move, and he takes in the rather limited view of woven straw close to his face, blocking out the light. He tries moving his arms, finding them pinned to wood, and he doesnt even bother testing his legs. His head aches and throbs, and he can tell that the bag has been on for a while by how stiflingly hot it is around his head. He can vaguely hear something like metal clinking together in the near distance.

“Oh, wait! I think he just moved!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah! See?”

“Oh yeah! Quick, take off the bag.”

“Are you sure? Pentious isn’t back yet.” 

“Oh shut your sauce box, Aaron and just do it!”

“Alright, alright. God...” 

There was the sudden sensation of the bag being ripped off his head, and the light of the sun momentarily blinds him, until it dies down just enough for him to somewhat take a look at his surroundings. He appeared to be inside what was an empty saloon, with a thin layer of dust lining the floors, but strangely enough, the shelves behind the counter still lined with rows upon rows of bottles. Two people were currently standing in front of him, one of them being a rather meek looking British man with suspenders over a button up and tie, a bowler hat, and a mustache, the bag that was previously over his head currently in his hands. The other appeared to be a woman, clad in a leather vest, a pair of slacks, boots, along with thick curly brown hair. She was smirking at him, causally twirling a gun in her hand and holding a bottle of liquor in the other. “Well, well, look who finally woke up! Great timing too! We’ve only been in Elm-Bloom for about an hour!”

Alastor shifts ever so slightly, more trying to find a more comfortable position to sit in than find a way out of his binds. "I don't tend to sleep in all too well. Glad that could be of service to ya." He looks around again. "God, that's a lot of alcohol. What is this place? Heaven?"

“Hehe. To us, maybe, sure. Not so sure about you, though.” She shrugs and smirk before taking a swig of her drink, glancing at the man, presumably Aaron, giving him a nudge with an elbow. “Go tell Pentious that his comedian friend is awake.” 

Aaron, despite the nudge, simply rolls his eyes and mutters to himself as he walks out the saloon doors, adjusting his hat as he does so. As the doors swing, Adam can just barely catch a glimpse of a large grassy plain, as well as the sight of some of the train cars. The silhouettes inside them are blurry, but still very much that of people.

"Hmm. He needs to smile more." He glances at the woman, smiling despite feeling a bruise on his cheek ache. "So what's your name, then? I've met Richard, and Gunther, and the sour apple Aaron. My name's Adam." He waves his hands, tied to the arms of his chair, hoping to get a laugh or two.

“Hmm.” She tilts her head after a moment, then smirks. “Can’t take a guess? I thought you said you knew all about these deadly train robberies. And his name isn’t _Richard_ , hun. It’s Sir Pentious.” She casually thumbs the chamber of her pistol, taking another swig of her drink.

"Of course. Of course. He introduced himself as Richard, so it's stuck in my head." He hums and trills his hand against the chair arm. "To be honest, most of the reports I've read don't put any names down. But I suppose I could take a guess anyways." He looks her over, admittedly seeing nothing that could point to a name. But he knew how to do a cold reading when needed. "I'm getting.... something floral? A flower name?"

“Hm..” She narrows her eyes, but lets out a chuckle soon after. “Ok, that’s impressive. Kind of spooky too.”

He chuckles, shrugging as much as he can. "What can I say? Natural talent of mine." He narrows his eyes on her. "So aside from it being a flower name... I'm guessing... Simple, but not Rose. Too obvious. Hmm, not that one either... Uh.... Lily?"

“Heh. Yeah, the name’s Lily. I’d untie your hands to give you a bottle, but, well, that’s obviously not going to happen.” She takes another swig, then shrugs. “At least you’re not screaming and crying and throwing a fit like the rest of those meaters out there.” She waves her pistol toward the outside. “Too much damn noise and not much in terms of actual riches. Hopefully the ransom is worth it.”

“Oh, I’m sure I could make it worth your while. But we’ll have to talk a bit longer before we get that far, I think.” He beams at her, all teeth.

She narrows her eyes at that, before shaking her head, chuckling. “You’ll have to save that pretty smile for Pentious, pal. He’s the one that handles the talking and business. Though you did make him laugh, so maybe he’ll refrain from breaking your legs with his cane right off the bat.”

“Haha! So he’s an interesting one, isn’t he? Sir Pentious and the Noblemen. He said he’s good at making things. The last few trains you’ve all taken were stripped of parts, and any cargo taken as well. I assume he’s still making things?” He leans toward her ever so slightly. “He’s an excellent actor. If this all falls through, he could probably land a proper acting job out here.”

“Heh. Good luck trying to convince him that.” There was the sound of footsteps, and a shadow drawing closer to the saloon doors, and her own smirk widens. “Ah, speak of the Devil.”

“The Devil has nothing to do with me, Lily.” Richard, or rather, _Sir Pentious_ , steps through the saloon doors with a smirk, still wearing the same cloth that he did on the train, although now his hair was done up in a ponytail, his cane still clutched tight in his hand, and when his eyes land upon Adam, his grin widens. “Ah, so you _are_ awake. How’s your head feeling? No headaches or confusion or hysteria, I hope?”

“None whatsoever.” He grins widely at him. “You can tell Gunther he throws his arm rather well, though I imagine he already knows as much.”

“Oh, he knows.” He chuckles softly, walking closer to Adam’s chair, letting the end of the cane rest just underneath his chin, leaning in so their gazes lock. “Now, normally, under any other circumstance, I merely would’ve shot you and left your corpse to be eaten by the wolves. But you’ve convinced me to keep that heart of yours still pumping for now, so consider yourself lucky. But I can’t guarantee that I won’t change my mind if you refuse and wind up being too much of a hassle, so please do try to cooperate as best you can.” His eyes narrow. “Get the picture?”

“Crystal clear!” He continues smiling at him. “You don’t need to tell me about all the other times you’ve done this, Sir Pentious. As I already told you, I’ve done extensive research into it myself! You’re quite the impressive man, I must say. How many trains is this now?“

“Around seven, counting this one. Quite the impressive bounty, don’t you think? So sad that you’ll never get to write about this one, I’m afraid.” He glances toward Lily. “Get him out of the chair and untie his hands, please.”

“Yes, Sir.” She smirks at that, putting down the bottle as Pentious himself takes a step back, pulling away his cane. Lily moves to hand him her gun as she steps behind Adam, and the way he feels the ropes around his hands starting to loosen indicates that she was cutting them open, probably with that of a knife. 

Pentious points the gun just inches away from his forehead as the ropes fall away entirely, and his smirk is immaculate. “I’ll need you to come with me, my friend. Don’t try to run; I may have a bad limp, but that doesn’t mean I’m not a good shot.”

“I wouldn’t dare to doubt you.” He stands, slowly, keeping his hands up in the open. “Though, now that my hands are open, you mind if I have a shot of vodka? I haven’t drank anything since Indiana.”

“Hmm..” Pentious’s eyes narrow a touch, and he waves a hand idly. “Give him what he wants, Lily.”

“Heh. Really treating the hostage with some class, huh?” She smirks, but moves behind the bar to pour him the drink. 

“Just because I don’t tend to drink myself doesn’t mean I can refuse someone else a drink if they want it.”

“Glad we can see eye to eye.” Adam chuckles softly and glances at Lily. “Anything above forty percent is fine. I’m not a picky drinker.”

“Seems everything here is above forty percent. These gold rush people must’ve been some really heavy drinkers.” She places a shot glass filled with vodka down on the bar.

“There might be moonshine hidden somewhere. Close to a hundred percent, if the rumors I hear are true.” He inches toward the bar, then, noticing Pentious doesn’t do anything walks the last few steps and picks up the shot, easily taking it and setting the glass back down. “Mm. Not the best I’ve ever had, but pretty smooth.” He turns back around to look at Pentious. “So. Where are we going?”

“Let’s go and you’ll find out.” He clicks back the hammer of the gun, moving around to press the cold metal to middle of Adam’s back, a hand coming up to pat his shoulder. “Just a precaution in case you do try to run, you see. Can never be too careful.” The hand doesn’t leave his shoulder. “Now, please, start walking.”

“Yes, Sir.” He walks, moving toward the entrance of the saloon. He sees the grassy plain he had spotted earlier and takes a quick glance at the train cars. “So you build new tracks to send the trains off course, and then loot them and put a ransom out for the passengers. Quite ingenious, if I may say so myself.”

The plain appeared to be out in the middle of some large forested area, with a mass of trees being seen off in the distance, and even a snowy mountain, just a speck off in the horizon. The plain itself was relatively devoid of any visible signs of actual living, with many plants and weeds making their home amongst the tall grass, but even as Adam turns his head, he can also see that a large chunk of the plain had been torn away to make room for what appeared to be a small town, buildings lined in rows, and though the paint along the walls was peeling and there was no visible sign of actual life, the place still looked relatively intact. The only part of the train that even seemed to be there anymore was the passenger cars, the rest of the train cars, including the cargo and engine, were completely gone, and he’s uncertain as to where they could’ve gone or how the train was grounded in the first place. The passenger cars themselves looked to be relatively intact, though the wheels were now missing and the doors appeared to be sealed shut, with the only openings now being the windows. Though things were still relatively quiet, sounds of soft sobbing and hushed discussion were heard even from where he stood. Pentious’s gun presses a touch harder against his back, and the hand on his shoulder slowly turns him around to start walking down the town’s pathway. “Thank you. I take pride in my work, if you couldn’t quite tell. Always good to hear actual praise rather than “oh, please don’t shoot me, I won’t tell a soul!” So much easier on the ears.”

“I doubt begging would get you to change your mind about anything.” Adam moves a little faster at the press of the gun to his back. “You seem like the type to care more about cost-benefit analysis.”

“If by “cost-benefit” you mean making sure no one knows my face, then yes. Yes, I do.” Another soft pat to the shoulder. “We’re heading to Town Hall. The moment you see it, walk towards it.”

“Right, right.” He glances between the buildings. There are any number of hiding spots for anyone else who’s a part of this. Quite a few empty shops with some goods still lying about, too. A more open space spreads out in front of him, shortly followed by a larger building, with some vaguely Greco-Roman architecture to it, pillars and vaulted ceilings. “Do you always find ghost towns to work in? It’s quite an interesting idea. America has plenty of them.” He turns to walk toward the building.

“They’re the closest places we have to civilization while also being entirely exempt from the rule of modern law, so it pays to have a town in mind to act as a base before and after we plan heists. We’ll only head into the wilderness if we’re desperate to hide. Otherwise, we stick to the shadows in places like these.”

“I see.” Adam looks over the Town Hall again, walking up the steps. “I imagine the telegraph is in here somewhere?”

“Indeed. I have a very particular message I want to share to the state of Illinois. I’d do it myself, but, well.” Even with Pentious behind him, Adam can see the smirk on his face. “Something about having a hostage do it has some thrill to it. I do like to mix it up every once in a while.”

“Ah, you like using props. Can’t blame you.” He walks to the door and opens it. “I didn’t know the Brits used Morse code, or at least, I thought they had a different language for it. You might want to be careful if you learned overseas.”

“I’m fairly fluent in Morse Code, actually, so don’t get any bright ideas to try and send a secret message through the line. That’ll be a good way to end up with a bullet in your skull.” The gun presses a bit harder against his back, and as the doors open, the front desk of what looks to be a small lobby is shown, shelves of books and chairs lining the walls, the whole place looking to be relatively untouched. There wasn’t a telegraph on the desk, but there was the remnants of a candle as well as an open book. “The telegraph is upstairs in the mayor’s office.” 

“Makes sense.” He walks toward the staircase, glancing at a shelf of books as they pass it. “I’m serious, though. If you didn’t learn _American_ Morse code, they’ll be able to tell you’re from out of the country. Lowers the number of suspects for the police to look into.”

“Is this an attempt to bargain for your life?” He sounds amused by that, and he chuckles. “Oh, and here I thought you were going to be an unpredictable outlier.”

“Do you hear me begging for my life, or offering you some advice for walking around post Civil War America while you’re knocking trains previously used for military transport off their tracks and then selling citizens for a few quick bucks?” He looks over his shoulder at him. “It’s honest advice. If you kill me after this, that’s your decision. But I recommend listening to some free advice when it’s handed to you on a silver platter.”

The grin momentarily falls from his face, and he looks a touch stunned, but then, after a moment, he chuckles. “Quite the tongue you have, my good man. Silver _and_ sharp enough to give a good lashing. Cute.” Another pat to the shoulder. “Amusing that you’re giving advice to a criminal though. But I suppose I’ll thank you for the advice nonetheless. And I’ll put it in action right away, by having _you_ send out the transmission.”

“Of course.” He rolls his eyes, letting Sir Pentious see, and sighs, that smile of his still on his face. They make it to the top landing and Adam glances between the halls. “And for the record, I’m not cute. Appearances aren’t always what they’re drummed up to be.”

“Says the same man who complimented my hair and said that he vividly saw me with my clothes lined with gold.” He chuckles again. “The office is the door at the end of the hall.”

“I said that because it’s true. You’d look good in gold.” He walks down the hall, shaking his head. “Red is my color. Brings out my eyes, among other things.”

“I can certainly agree.” He chuckles, and it wasn’t long before the door to the office itself was opened. The office was a touch more immaculate than the lobby, with a thick rug lining the floor, a large candle that still had yet to be lit, open balcony doors letting in light, and a large fancy telegraph, sitting atop the mayor’s desk, which was right up against the wall to the left.

“Oh, wow. This might actually be one of the more recent models.” Adam takes a few longer steps toward the machine, momentarily sliding out of Pentious’ grip on his shoulder. “Well, more recent for how old this town is. Did you just find it here? Or is it one of your own?”

“Apparently it was recently installed just before the town was abandoned, which was about..I believe a year ago.” He smirks, moving to step beside Adam, gesturing with a hand toward the chair in front of the desk. “Please, do sit.”

“Yes, please.” He takes the seat - incredibly comfortable, he may add - and starts checking over the equipment, carefully brushing off dust and checking the wires. He taps the knob, hearing the click, and adjusts the tension just a smidge. “It definitely feels like it hasn’t been touched in a year, but it’s in good condition. Have you checked the cables? Usually they’re left alone, but sometimes people find these places to snag the copper and sell it.”

“I went and checked the wires before you happened to wake up. All of it is secured and accounted for. All you need to do next is transmission _this_ .” He unfolds a piece of paper from his vest pocket and places it in front of Adam. The exact writing was in fact written in Morse, and after a glance, the “dialect” appearing to be a mix of British _and_ American, it reads “ _Greetings, state officials of Illinois, The Train of the_ Olive Tree, _a vehicle that was on it’s way to your fair state, has been thoroughly vanquished and all 40 passengers within the train have been captured. We demand over 500 dollars in exchange for their safe return. We will give you 5 days to gather up the money and we shall send a representative to collect it, as well as deliver the location of the hostage passengers. If the money is not released by the time of the 5 days, then every single one of those 40 passengers will be killed. Don’t make the wrong choice.”_

“Quite the letter you have here. I imagine you don’t want any abbreviations?” Adam looks it over again, reaching over to flick the power on and adjust a few more dials. “And I imagine you want me to put it out slowly? So you can hear it, of course.”

“No abbreviations, yes. And yes, please, send it out slowly. Just to make sure there are no tricks.” He lets his thumb spin the chamber of his pistol, an idle threat.

“You don’t need to have that out, you know.” He sets his hand over the knob, rests the note on the table, and starts tapping out the message to send it down the line. The clicking is quickly accompanied by an ever so slightly lagging buzz, making the taps easy to distinguish. Adam’s hand is steady, rhythmic, and a dozen times clearer than Pentious’ own.

“Perhaps not.” His voice is quiet, a soft hiss, and it was clear that he was watching the movements of Adam’s hand, closely, attentively. “Think of it as a deterrent.”

“Mmhmm.” Adam doesn’t raise his eyes from the paper, steadily tracing over the words he was translating. He’d have to be careful with this man, but he couldn’t be _too_ careful. He needed to make himself into someone intriguing, someone to keep around even after this message was sent. Pentious himself doesn’t say another word, merely listening, merely watching as clicking continues to ring throughout the air.

After a few moments, Adam finishes the paper and taps out _End_ to signal the cut of communication, then pulls his hand away. “And that would be that.”

“Perfect.” A grin slowly splits over Pentious’s face, and his thumb clicks back the hammer of his gun once more. “I’m afraid that’s all I have planned for you, my good man. You’re already too much of a nuisance, even if you are a bit of a freelancer. Can’t have people knowing that a journalist was murdered, or else the whole of Illinois might come down on my head. However, I’m not an _animal_ , so I’m willing to grant one more request, since you’ve been so compliant.” He chuckles a touch. “And don’t bother to ask to be let go. You wouldn’t believe how many times someone’s tried that. And it doesn’t work, I assure you.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He looks at him, setting an elbow on the table. “Hm. One more request. How about a lengthy conversation, just you and I? I’d like to get to know my would-be killer. Well, more than I already know you, that is.”

“A conversation, you say?” He raises a brow, still grinning. “Get to know me? Well, that depends on the questions you want to ask.”

“Oh, I don’t have many questions. More statements, and I’d like you to tell me how close I am to being right.” He turns in his seat to face him more directly, leaning an arm on the back of his chair. “Richard Brooke, turned Sir Pentious, originally from England, not born in London, but you spent quite a bit of time there. Maybe you were from one of the surrounding towns, maybe even the fringes of the city, but you aren’t from _central_ London. Sound about right?”

That gets Pentious’s grin to only widen, and he chuckles a touch, turning to face the man as well, the gun held idly, though still firmly. “Quite correct. Glad to know that people have already heard of me.”

“No one’s heard of you. I can tell by your accent, and the make of your shoes. Looks like you’ve had these since you were last in England.” He glances down at his feet just for another look, then back up at him. “I imagine you haven’t had all too many positive memories of the press either. Probably some humiliating event you’d rather forget about, more than likely somewhat recent. Probably part of the reason you’re out here doing all this, terrorizing people and killing innocents.” Adam tilts his head. “Those people will never make it out of this alive, will they?”

He stares for a moment, his grin fading from his lips, but then it comes back just as quickly, a devious smirk. “..Clever one, aren’t you? No, they won’t. I can’t afford to leave them alive. Now that the message has been sent out, I’ll probably either leave them for dead in this town and divert the police search to the middle of nowhere so they’ll never be found or just set the cars on fire and have them burn alive. I still have yet to decide. But they all saw my face, you see. They all know my identity. You, more so than any of them.”

“I take it the rest of your team doesn’t know that you’ll be doing that? Or at least, they don’t know you’re going to have them killed. But what happens when you leave is none of your business.” Adam’s grin widens. “Things didn’t go to plan, or the cops didn’t find them fast enough. Such a shame.”

“Such a shame indeed.” His eyes narrow, softly, and once more, the edge of that cane rests against the bottom of his chin. “You certainly are smiling quite often for such a gruesome topic. And not once have you subverted to calling me any sort of abhorrent name that’s supposed to make me feel bad.” He tilts his head, softly, his eyes seeming to glimmer with intrigue, with curiosity, with a newfound interest. “...You don’t care about those people, do you?”

“I’d be a hypocrite if I did.” He brings a hand up to his cane and shifts it aside. “You like being in power, don’t you? You like being able to show just how capable you are, how you could bring anyone to their knees. Isn’t that right?”

“...Perhaps it is.” Those eyes narrow, with a sort of fiendish delight that he had never quite seen before. At least, not in the eyes of another person.

He leans closer to him, raising a brow. “Perhaps? I’d say you’re well past _perhaps_ if you’re even considering killing everyone in those train cars.”

“Heh. Pardon my dancing around the topic, then. It’s just, well, it’s not every day that someone I barely know, a hostage no less, asks me about my desires to cause chaos everywhere I go.” He chuckles, resting his elbow on his cane, still smirking. “I’ll be sure to answer your question more clearly then. Yes, I do. I want people to tremble at the sound of my name. I want people to fear me and run screaming when they see me coming. I want the whole of the world to one day bend to my very will, to fit into the palm of my hand.” His eyes narrow softly, staring right into Adam’s own. “Does that clarify things for you?”

Adam leans his head in one of his hands as he listens to him. “Oh, definitely. Though it does raise more questions. I imagine all the parts you strip from the trains will eventually go toward whatever you’re making to take over the world? You must have quite the head on your shoulders then. You’d need to be quite the inventor to pull something like that off.”

“Heheh. So I would. Luckily for me, _I am_.” A bit of pride fills his gaze at that, causing that smirk to only grow. “I dare say I’m the most ingenious man in the world right now, at the very least in terms of mechanics. I’d give you an example or two, but..” He chuckles again. “I don’t see much of a point in that. Yet.” He tilts his head. “What about you, my friend? What sort of twisted desires do you have, hidden away in that smile of yours?”

“Oh, would you like a turn psychoanalyzing the man sitting in front of you? Go ahead, be my guest. There’s no reason for me to hide anything at this point.”

“Hmm..” After a moment, Pentious moves away from the desk to close the door and lock it, moving to grab a chair from the other end of the room, dragging it over to the desk and sitting down, the gun still in his hand, though now he wasn’t steadily aiming it at Adam anymore. His eyes narrow a touch as he stares into his gaze, and after a moment, Pentious starts to grin. “You have a habit of joking around,of charm and quick quips to make people laugh, make them smile. You’re quite the chatterbox, seeing as how you started talking to me the moment you sat down next to me, and you apparently began psychologically picking me apart the moment I held a gun to your back. You recognized my intent to kill the passengers right away, and yet you still carry that smile. You want people to trust you. You want them to like you. Feel safe around you, feel like they can drop their guard. You want them to believe that you can do no wrong and will gladly follow you wherever you go.” He leans in a touch closer, an elbow propped on the desk as well. “Perfect time for you to strike and drive a knife into their chests, isn’t it?”

A look of amusement crosses his face and he points at the gun no longer properly aimed at him. "Or to get a kidnapper to lower his gun for just a moment." He makes no move to grab him or otherwise escape. "So what does that tell you about me, hm? What do you think is going on behind this lovely, _lovely_ smile of mine?"

“Heheh.” He smirks, a wicked smile that shows off every single tooth. “You’re a murderer, aren’t you? A killer. A slaughterer of innocents. Just like me.”

"Just like you? Hm. No. But close." He chuckles, trilling his fingers on the desk. "I'll give it to you that I'm a murderer, but there's still more. You can get more specific. Think about it. I've told you so much already."

“Have you now? Hmm..” He narrows his eyes for a moment, before leaning back a touch, eyes darting away from Adam, a hand drifting onto his chin. “Let’s see...So you are a killer. Using charm and jokes to get close to your victims...The only question is, what you do with them...”

“I honestly don’t know if you’ll be able to guess it,” he admits, his grin stretching, “but I’d be quite impressed if you did.”

“Hmm...A killer traveling in a train that was heading to another state. I assume it’s because the mutton shunters were getting a bit too close for comfort, and you needed to leave. And if I recall..” He starts to smirk. “There have been a few stories of some rather gruesome murders along the East. Bodies being torn to pieces. Bones stripped of meat.” He chuckles a touch. “Mm. Not what I was expecting when reading that part of the daily paper.”

“Seems like we’re both in the papers.” He grins, all teeth and cheekbones. “So, what precisely do you think all that the journalists say means for me? From what I recall, people were still confused about those bones.”

“..You dispose of the corpses, for one thing, but not in the regular fashion. You don’t bury them, you don’t leave them in the woods to be eaten by animals, you don’t toss them into the sea. You store them in cabins, in your homes. Like a hunter bringing home the game to be butchered into a meal.” He tilts his head a touch, his grin not once fading or twitching, looking completely nonplussed. “But you see people as the game, don’t you?”

“They certainly run like game,” he offers, “if given the chance.” Adam narrows his eyes on him. “You don’t want to say it out loud, do you? You don’t seem scared, but maybe you’re a little surprised? I know I don’t look like much. And, of course, I’m just some silly little reporter, aren’t I?”

“I certainly didn’t peg you to commit the most gruesome of crimes that is _cannibalism_ , my good man. Especially not with you making me laugh aboard that train. Hiding in plain sight. Always a lovely tactic to pull.” He glances at the gun in his hand, and after a moment, he moves to place it down on the ground, kicking it away with his foot so that it slides across the room. “I don’t think I’ll be needing that anymore.”

“Aww. Does that mean I’ve managed to sway the most terrifying and insidious Sir Pentious?” He chuckles, smirking at him. “And you were calling me cute just a little while ago. How does it feel to have called a cannibal _cute_ , my dear?”

“To be honest, my opinion hasn’t swayed. After all, what kind of a murderer would I be if I went around spitting in the faces of other forms of murder and deeming _them_ as barbaric and evil, when their methods of spilling blood are almost the same as mine? The only difference between you and I is that you eat the corpses of your victims, and as far as I can tell, at the end of the day, we’re both still viscerally ending lives, are we not?” He splays a hand to his chest as he makes his little speech, before leaning forward, just a touch closer, their faces getting nearer as he does so. “No, no, no. You’ll find that I shall be no hypocrite when it comes to the sin of murder, my friend. So cute you shall remain.”

Adam rolls his eyes, though he chuckles all the same. “You’re quite the talker, though I stand by my statement of not being cute. I eat people for a pass time.”

“I was talking about your looks, my friend.” A hand comes up to idly press a finger to the bottom of his chin, and he smirks. “Though I’m sure I can try other phrases if cute won’t cut it. How about...handsome?”

“I’ve been called that once or twice in my life.” He beams at him, glancing at his hand but not pushing it away. “You’re not half bad on the eyes yourself.”

“Heheh. Even when my clothes aren’t lined with gold?” One of his other hands moves to the string of fabric holding his hair up, and he slowly moves to pull it away, leading to his hair falling, billowing out almost seamlessly as it cascades back down his back.

“With ambitions such as yours, you’ll get there some day.” He watches his hair fall down, raising a brow at him. “Besides, you know how to clean up as far as I can tell.” 

“Heh. That I certainly do.” He tilts his head, finger still resting on his chin. “..I wouldn’t mind if you decide to stay and watch that day come to pass. If you’re open to it.”

“I’m certainly more open to it than being murdered before I can beat my previous record.” His grin turns into a smirk again and he tilts his head. “Wait, are you actually offering me a position on your little team?”

“I’m certainly not going to shoot you anymore.” He chuckles, folding his arms. “And I feel as if you’d have quite the fun time being able to kill to your heart’s content. Certainly much more fun than hiding from the police in the big city.”

“You shouldn’t knock it ‘til you try it. It’s more amusing than you’d think.” Adam pokes his shoulder. “Though you may have a point. If I have to keep moving anyways, why not simply stay on the move indefinitely?”

“Glad to see you agree, my friend. I’m certainly interested in seeing your work.” He moves to lean closer, close enough to whisper. “If you want, I might even give you one of the prisoners to do as you wish. It’s not like they’re going anywhere anyways.”

“Ohoho, giving me presents already? I haven’t even proven myself.” His eyes glimmer with sadistic intent. “We may have to keep it a secret from your other friends.”

“I’m already keeping secrets, aren’t I? Though I’m sure they won’t mind if you decide to chop up the corpse of a cop every once in a while.” He smirks, eyes filled with that exact same light, a hand moving to cup Adam’s cheek. “If I say you stay, then you stay. Simple as that.”

“And they’ll listen, even if they see what I do?” He brings a hand up to cover Pentious’s, though he doesn’t pull away. “I’ll admit, not everyone is alright with a cannibal in their midst. You’re full of surprises, Sir Pentious.”

“And I’d say that you are as well, Adam. After all, never thought I’d trade jokes with a cannibalistic killer.” He glances him over, and chuckles, leaning in even more. “Would you call me crazy if I said I wanted to kiss one as well?”

A flush takes over his face and he has to hold back a nervous laugh. “Being the cannibalistic killer, I don’t believe I’d know.”

Pentious, too, begins to flush, his cheeks growing redder, though he raises a brow. “Well?”

“I’m not going to stop you.” Adam squeezes the wrist of the hand still holding his cheek.

“Hmm. Perfect.” A flash of a smirk, and Pentious’s hand slips to his jawline, moving to press a gentle kiss to his lips, eyes sliding shut as he does so.

He feels a shiver course down his spine at the feeling, barely moving for a few seconds before returning the kiss. He shifts in his seat and lowers his hand to his side, leaning into Pentious’ hand.

The kiss remains relatively stationary for a few moments before Pentious starts to tilt his head ever so slightly, starts to press the kiss deeper, just a touch, and the hand falls away from his jaw and onto his shoulder, the other hand coming up to his shoulder as well. The kiss pulls apart for a moment, and Pentious’s eyes open, his cheeks now a touch more red, and for a moment, he says nothing, merely glancing over Adam’s face, looking for a reaction.

Adam swallows, face beat red, looking him over as their lips part. He doesn’t respond for a moment, then leans forward and presses their lips together again, the movement unpracticed and clunky.

The sudden kiss is enough to have Pentious shudder, and he moves to wrap his arms around his shoulders, tilting his head once more as the kiss grows just a touch deeper, a touch harder, his eyes sliding shut to savor the sensation, his body shivering. “Mm..”

Adam presses closer, shivering as their lips slide over each other, the arm of his chair keeping him from moving any closer. He opens his mouth and suckles his lower lip in between his teeth.

“Mm..” That gets Pentious to shudder, his hands momentarily clenching into fists at the feeling of those teeth against his lip, at the soft flickers of pain that trail down his skin, and he moves to let one hand drag down Adam’s back, as much as the arm of the chair will allow, his other hand moving to rub up and down his upper arm.

His eyes flutter shut at the soft touches and he slides his tongue into his mouth, carefully standing from his chair and pulling Pentious up with him, moving toward the desk in the center of the room. “Mmm....” Adam runs his hands over his sides and along his hips, squeezing gently.

Pentious feels the sensation of a tongue sliding against his, warm and wet, and the heat that slides down his spine is enough to make his whole frame shudder. He feels Adam’s arms tug at his frame, his shoulders, and when he slowly moves to stand, trying desperately to keep the kiss from breaking, he feels his cane fall from his grip to clatter against the ground. He feels those hands sliding over his hips, feels the edge of his back press against the wooden frame of the desk, and his hands curl into fists against Adam’s back. “Mmmph~..”

Adam pulls his lips away from him, kissing along his jaw and to his throat, nuzzling his nose against Pentious’ voice box and settling his hands on the desk behind him. “Mm, this is... honestly my first time, um...”

“Heheh..” Pentious can’t help but chuckle, smirking even as he tilts his head to try to offer more room. “Could’ve fooled me..Mmm...” He lets his own hands squeeze down on Adam’s hips, softly. “Mine too, actually.”

“Could’ve fooled me.” He chuckles, mouthing the underside of his chin and pushing a few loose items away from the desk. “Sit back on the desk for me?”

“Gladly.” He chuckles, moving to actually sit up on the desk, leaning back so he’s at least propped up on his elbows. “Like this, my dear?”

“Perhaps not _sit back,_ sit back, but it’ll do.” Adam smirks at him and follows, capturing his lips again and letting their stomachs press against each other. “Mm...”

Pentious shudders, moving to let a hand slide up Adam’s back, stroking his skin through the fabric before letting it slowly trail back down in order to slip beneath, moaning softly at the feeling of just how _warm_ the man felt. His other hand moves between them to slowly stroke over Adam’s chest, shuddering at the feeling of their tongues slowly sliding together.

“ _Mmph_ ~” Adam shivers under his hands, unused to the touches, each stroke pulling more heat to his skin. He presses close, pulling Pentious a little closer to the edge of the desk before breaking the kiss again for a quick breather. “Mm, getting a little handsy, are you?”

“Maybe a little.” He can’t help but smirk, though he shivers at the feeling of being just a touch more under the man above him, his cheeks flushed, his breathing a bit more labored. “You’re _very_ warm. I like it.”

“I tend to run hot.” He flushes as the words catch up to him. “I mean - you know what I mean.” Adam shudders as one of Pentious’ hands creeps further up his chest. “Mm, you like getting what you want, don’t you?”

“Whatever gave you that idea?” He rolls his eyes playfully, smirking, exposing his teeth, leaning up just a touch more to press a kiss to his lips, a soft one, before pulling back. “I suppose I might have to ask you the same thing, don’t I?”

“Mm, who doesn’t like getting what they want?” He smirks, running his hands over his sides and just under the fringes of his sweater vest. “I suppose my question was a little foolish.”

“Then let me rephrase.” Pentious’s hands move to slide away from Adam’s skin in order to take the vest off, pulling it over his head and letting it merely fall to the floor, exposing his own button up shirt, smirking all the while. “What do you want, Adam?”

“Mm, dangerous question.” He looks him over, sprucing his collar out of habit. “I’m not entirely sure. I definitely wouldn’t mind kissing you some more. What about you? What can I do for you?” He smirks, confident and smug despite the flush still clinging to his cheeks.

“Mmm..Kissing sounds lovely to me. Though I suppose I wouldn’t mind the potential of more.” He teasingly tugs at one of the buttons on his shirt, before he leans in to capture Adam’s lips in his own, letting his tongue slide against the man’s lip with a groan, his hands starting to slide up and down Adam’s sides.

Adam’s eyes flutter, letting his hand run down his chest and over his shoulders. He shivers as he feels Pentious’ tongue in his mouth, rubbing against his own. He brings his other hand up and starts undoing the buttons of his shirt.

Pentious shivers at the feeling of the buttons on his shirt slowly falling away, at the feeling of his chest being exposed, feeling his blood simmer with warmth, his frame shiver, and he lets a hand slide beneath Adam’s back, slowly trailing his fingers up his spine. “Mmm~..”

“ _Mmph_ ~” He presses against him, unable to stifle his groan or the easily felt shivers that course up his spine. “Mmm...” One of his hands press flat against his stomach, running up over his side and to his chest.

Pentious shudders, his breathing becoming a bit more heavy, a bit more labored, and he wraps an arm around Adam’s back, pulling him in closer, tilting his head to press the kiss deeper, moaning softly. “Mmmmm~..”

One of his hands finds a nipple, rubbing over it softly, and he shivers as he feels Pentious’ tongue press further into his mouth. “Mph~...” His hands squeeze against his chest, his finger running over his nipple.

Pentious seems to shudder at the touch, at the feeling of those warm fingers slowly gliding over his skin, and he finally pulls away from the kiss to breathe, panting softly, his cheeks flushed, his eyes growing just a touch more foggy, and he presses his forehead to Adam’s shoulder, hands slowly sliding over the man’s sides beneath his shirt. “Nnn~...God, you really _are_ warm...Scorching, even..”

"I'm glad to see you enjoy it." He smirks at him, shuddering at the touches and hot breaths. He runs his hands over his shoulders, nuzzling the top of his hair. After a short moment, he brings one of his hands to Pentious's and starts moving it closer to his waistband. "Perhaps you'd like a little more?"

Pentious visibly, tangibly shudders at the sound of his voice, his pupils dilating with lust, his lip curling between his teeth, even as he lets a chuckle rumble in his chest. He shifts so that he presses a soft kiss to Adam’s shoulder, letting his hand softly curl around the bulge he can feel in the man’s slacks. “Mmm...Of course. How could I refuse?”

"Mm, you'd have to be quite a cold hearted character to leave me hanging, I'd say." He rolls his hips into his hand and pulls his lips up to his own, moaning softly into his mouth.

“Mmmph..” He gives the bulge another soft squeeze, idly grinding down on the soft, throbbing warmth that he can feel, pulsing beneath that soft fabric. He leans into the kiss, groaning, letting his tongue slowly slide against Adam’s own, savoring the taste, the feeling.

Several sharp knocks hit the door behind them and Adam jolts back from the kiss. "Everything okay in there? The door's locked."

Adam bites his lip as he feels Pentious's hand squeeze him again in seeming panic, dropping his head onto his shoulder as his face turns red.

Pentious himself pulls away from Adam’s shoulder, his face bright red, his eyes momentarily flickering with fear, and for a moment, he’s silent. But then, he clears his throat, takes a deep breath, all the while he pats a hand against Adam’s back, as if trying to comfort him, his voice coming out surprisingly clear as his other hand pulls away from Adam’s slacks. “Change of plans. Turns out the journalist is a bit on the skilamalink side of the coin himself. He’s proposed to join the crew, and I’m trying to see if he’s selling me a dog.”

"I don't like dogs, though I suppose if I did have one, I'd try and sell it." The response is immediate, but he moves his head to the side to keep his voice clear.

"He wants to join? Why?"

Adam exhales, turning around and pressing his back to Pentious's chest. "Is it enough to say I like killing people?"

“I suppose you can give it a shot. Though I’m not quite sure.” His voice dips down to a soft whisper in Adam’s ear, then it raises back up. “He knows about my career, for one. And I also believe he’s actually running from the cops himself.”

"A journalist on the run from the cops. Strange."

"I could say the same thing about a watchmaker and his friends from England." Adam rolls his eyes, chuckling.

Pentious’s own lips quirk up in a smirk, and he chuckles before his eyes glance toward the door. “Tell the others I’ll be down in a moment. And have Kevin fill in the hole; we won’t be needing it anymore.”

"Right away, boss."

Adam snickers as he hears footsteps wandering off. "I was going to get my own little hole, all to myself? Oh, how kind of you, Sir Pentious."

“Couldn’t have the police find _your_ corpse among the dead bodies, of course. But now that that’s changed..” He smirks a touch, as if an amusing thought came to mind. “Hmmm..Perhaps you could give my men a demonstration of how you intend to be useful to our group.”

"Oh, you think?" He raises a brow, straightening and turning to face him again, starting to button his shirt back together. "I might need my knife for something like that. And I've never quite done anything in front of a crowd before..."

“Nervous?” He raises a brow, as if dubiously, smirking even as he buttons his own shirt back up, still sitting atop the desk. “Didn’t take you for the type to get twitchy under a watchful eye.”

"I'm not nervous, but I do have a tendency to, well, carve into my victims. And it's something different, and I only have one set of spare clothes. Usually I have a space to prep everything..." He straightens his clothes. "I just need go make adjustments is all."

“I see.” The way his grin curls and his eyes narrow seem to indicate that he takes delight in the image of Alastor soaked in blood, and he chuckles for a moment, before flicking his eyes down toward his vest, which was on the floor. “Mind grabbing that for me? And my cane?”

"Oh, of course." He kneels down and picks up the articles, handing them over to him. "And, also, I'm not sure about being so loud about my diet at this point. Doesn't strike me as a smart decision at this point."

“Of course.” He pauses, momentarily gripping his cane in between his knees as he works to shuffle the vest back on, voice slightly muffled. “I know the limits of my crew at this point. You’ll just have to convince them that you won’t eat _them_ and then everything will be fine.” He finally moves to set his cane on the floor as he slides his way off of the desk, his legs seeming to shiver for a moment before they go still. He walks his way over to the discarded gun that had been laying on the floor, pauses, then carefully begins to try and squat down to make a grab for the gun, legs trembling as he does so, a hand still balanced on top of the cane. He manages to grab it, keeping his fingers away from the trigger, and braces himself against the wall with an elbow as he slowly, painstakingly, straightens back up. “Hnnngh...Geh. Sometimes I feel like an old man who’s about to keel over from a light breeze.”

"I feel that way with reading sometimes, though I doubt it's any real kind of comparison." He walks over to him, arms tucked behind his back. "Is it strange that you remind me of one of my old veteran friends?"

His expression actually hardens, and his eyes turn to give him a piercing glare. “In what regard?”

"You always press forward no matter how many people are holding you back." He grins at him. "Society doesn't like him much either."

The glare crumbles and falls as quickly as it comes, and Pentious can’t help but scoff with a grin, even as he moves to adjust his clothes with a hand. “Always so quick with the charm, are you?”

"I try my best." He chuckles and nods toward the door. "Shall we be on our way?"

“Of course.” He makes one last adjustment to his bow tie, gives Adam a look over with a squint to his eyes, then runs a hand through his hair, which falls completely straight and immaculate. He makes his way toward the door, finally clicking the lock back open, making his way down the hallway. “Any particular victim you go for, by the by? I know some killers go for women, some go for men, etc.”

"I'm rather indiscriminate, but I could probably point someone out if you let me have a look." Adam follows him, his grin much more lax than it was earlier in the day.

“Heheh. Of course, my good man.” 

As they emerge into the sunlight yet again, Adam could know see the somewhat familiar figures of both Lily and Aaron, along with the Gunther fellow that had knocked him out earlier. The only unfamiliar face he saw was that of a blonde woman, her hair tied up in a bun, wearing a long skirt and a button up blouse, waving a paper fan in front of her face, probably to cool off from the hot air that was beating down on the empty town. Pentious’s face splits into a grin as he moves to stand aside to show Adam off, gesturing toward him with a hand. “Gentlemen, we have a new recruit on our hands.”

Gunther is the first one to speak, tilting his head, his brow furrowed with confusion. “I thought we were going to kill him?”

“Yeah, what’s with the sudden change? You’re not one to do that on a whim.” The blonde lady tilts her head with a raised brow.

“Maybe I’m not, Christina, but this man is much more than he seems, I assure you.” Pentious himself flashes a grin toward Adam. “Want to explain how?”

He raises a brow, not quite expecting to have his own time to speak. "Of course." He looks back to the group in front of him. "I know I may seem like some bothersome journalist, and I can understand why you'd be wary of that fact, but I'm also a murder. A serial killer, in fact." His grin widens as he looks them all over, his charming expression somehow shifting into something more predatory. "I've been jumping between the states just like you all have, and I was actually on my way out of Indiana to find my next city to hit."

Everyone’s eyes seem to widen at that, though it only takes a couple seconds for someone to speak out in protest. That person being Lily, who immediately leans towards in an effort to look him over. “A serial killer who just so happened to be on the same train we were? I don’t buy it. He could be bluffing.”

Gunther’s eyes narrow a touch at that as well. “Yes, seems a bit suspicious that a killer just so happened to be sitting next to the leader of the Noblemen.”

Aaron, who was looking a bit nervous, takes a touch of a step back. “I..I don’t know. He doesn’t exactly _look_ like he’s lying..”

"Oh, exactly what I expected from you poor, simple murderers." He chuckles and walks down the steps toward them. He puts a hand on Gunther's and Lily's arms. "Give me a knife and I'll kill one of those poor prisoners for you. However you want, I'll do it." He looks each of them in the eyes, entirely serious but smiling all the while.

Both of their eyes widen, their faces going momentarily pale, and Lily is the first to shove Adam’s hand off. _“What?!_ Are you _nuts_ ? We need those people in order to get the ransom money! We’re not going to let you just _murder_ one of them! If even just one of them end up dying, then the whole of Illinois might come down on our heads!”

Pentious, from behind all of them, taps his cane against the ground. “Now, now, Lily. We still have a fresh hole dug in the ground. As long as we make sure the rest keep their little mouths shut, we can just toss the one he kills into the grave and let their body rot.”

Aaron blinks at that, still looking a touch nervous. “Er..K-Kevin just filled up the hole.”

“Then tell him to dig it back up again.”

Adam chuckles, backing off ever so slightly as he's pushed away. "Don't worry. I wouldn't kill any of you. I'm much more picky about my kills than that." He winks at Gunther. "I've been meaning to tell you about your swing. Quite the arm you've got on you, haha!" He pats his shoulder again and walks past him. "So, how about that knife?"

There was a long pause between them all, before Gunther slowly pulls a blade out of his pocket, pulling off the sheathe to reveal quite the serrated edge. Aaron immediately pales and turns away, shaking his head. “Oh Good Lord, oh good lord...”

Gunther slowly hands Adam the knife, handle first. “Don’t let them suffer. Kill them quickly.”

"Temple or aorta?" He turns to take the knife, smiling up at him. "Either one is just as quick."

“..Which one assures they don’t feel the pain?”

"Hm..." He taps his chin. "I suppose there are a few seconds where they're alive after the aorta is severed... But holding them down for a direct hit to their temple can be troublesome. If they move too much, I may just end up giving them a lobotomy. So there's a higher chance they'll actually survive it."

He winces at the thought, and finally sighs, backing away, folding his arms. “..Just..get it over with, then. If stabbing them in the chest is what you need to do then..Do it.”

"If it's any solace to you, they'll only be alive for a few seconds. It'll be over before they even realize what's happening." He fidgets with the knife, looking it over. "You keep this plenty sharp enough anyways."

“Hmm.” He doesn’t respond, turning away. None of the others say a word as Pentious moves to follow Adam, still grinning, all the while.

“Did I come on too strong?” Adam chuckles lightly, leaning in to whisper to him. “Sometimes I just can’t tell.”

“Perhaps a touch. You certainly got Aaron a touch skittish.” He snickers a bit. “Are you really going to do as Gunther asks?”

“Might as well.” He shrugs and tucks the knife into his belt, folding his arms behind his back. “If they don’t enjoy seeing blood spilt, then I shouldn’t step on their toes and make them watch something they won’t like.”

“Very well, that makes sense.” He hums, frowning slightly. “Any idea which one you’ll pick? Anyone on the train that might’ve caught your eye?” He smirks a touch at that. “Besides me, I mean.”

Adam laughs at that. “Oh, you were the only one I had eyes for at the time. I’ll pick someone about my height. Makes it easier to leverage the knife into their heart.”

“Very well.” Loose dirt and dust kick up under everyone’s feet as they slowly make their way towards the passenger cars. At this point, all of the windows had been pulled down, and a patrol of guards were standing around the perimeter, guns in their hands, clearly ready to shoot if any of them began to start a ruckus. One of the men currently standing under the shade of the saloon’s porch, a grizzly-looking sort with a scar lining his cheek, wearing typical attire among most western criminals (cowboy hat, leather vest, bandana around the neck, etc) extends a hand upwards in greeting, and moves to step down to approach them. Pentious himself straightens at the sight of the man, lifting a hand back. “Just sent the word out to the state of Illinois. We’ll have 5 days to keep all of these lovely passengers locked up right. Should be plenty of time for them to gather up the money.” 

“Heheh. Sounds good to me. Remember the deal, you know. 50% of the gains go to me.”

“Oh please, Victor, like I’ve ever steered you wrong.” Pentious chuckles as if it was an idle jab rather than a mild threat. “As long as your men handle taking care of these people as soon as the ransom is paid, I see no issue.”

“Good.” The man’s eyes flick to Adam, and he tilts his head. “Weren’t you telling me you were gonna put a bullet in him?”

“I was. But now, he’s about to give us a demonstration as to why I’ve changed my mind.”

Adam grins at the man. “Seems I’m a bit more useful than first thought.” He glances at Pentious. “Which car was I in? Might as well get my luggage at the same time.”

“The second.” He points to the car in the middle, chuckling a touch. “Do you want to borrow my gun? Someone might try to pull a knife. It’s happened at least once before.”

The man, now known as Victor, nods. “Yep. That’s how I got this.” He points to the scar on his cheek. “They may be a bunch of sniveling cowards but they’ll fight if their lives are on the line.”

“Not at all.” Adam raises a hand and shakes his head. “All I need is to speak with them. Trust me.” He turns and starts walking toward the middle car, carefully moving past the guards and scanning over the faces in the windows. He spots a man about his age, perhaps a bit older, and walks up to him. A few of the others notice him, some seemingly recognizing him, a small murmur starts up. “Hey, uh, my name is Adam. Yours?” He holds a hand out into the car for the man to shake.

The man, clearly wary, doesn’t move to shake his hand at all. “..You were that man that got knocked out. W-What are you doing talking to _them_?” His eyes flick to Pentious and the rest of the group. “I thought they were going to kill you.”

Adam lowers his hand smoothly, resting it on the window so his fingers are still inside. “I’ve been negotiating with them. I’m a veteran and a journalist working in Illinois and Indiana. They’ve gotten into contact with police already, and they’re going to let all of you go at another site in a few days. But they’re going to be using me as further leverage to make sure the trade goes smoothly.”

There was a murmur that rises up through the cart upon hearing his words, and the man’s eyes widen. “W-What? Really? They’re going to let us go?” His eyes flick to Pentious again and he goes still. “..But how can you trust them?”

“Aside from his word, this isn’t the first time he’s taken hostages.” He holds up a hand as a few people get louder. “He doesn’t kill anyone after a ransom has been given. He’s also taking me, so some of his resources are going to be divided. And that’s good. The only thing is that he wants my luggage.”

“T-Taking you?” The man looks even more alarmed, his eyes wide with shock. “You mean you’re going _with_ him? He’s kidnapping you?”

“Yes.” He nods, giving him a moment to take it in. “He’s going to try and get more ransom for me, since I’m a bit more high profile than the average citizen.”

“I..” He glances back at Pentious, then towards him once more. “..How are you so calm about this? God knows what he might do to you.”

"I've fought in the Civil War, sonny." He raises a brow. "I've been through worse than a kidnapping."

“..Ok..” He nods softly, nervously. “S-So...What do you need?”

"He wants my suitcase. It's red leather, has my initials _A.W._ sewn into it. Should be in the overhead bin."

“R-Right.” There was a moment of hesitance, before the man briefly dips out of sight. After a long moment of shuffling and a heavy grunt, the suitcase is held up to the window. “Is it this one?”

"Ah..." He leans closer. "Yeah, that looks about right. Can you bring it out?"

“Uh..” He grunts as the suitcase’s corners, scrap against the edges of the window, evidently trying to make it fit, but then he pulls it back. “Ugh. I can’t get it out. It won’t fit.”

Adam turns to Pentious. "Can he use one of the doors?"

Pentious and Victor slowly exchange glances, before Pentious nods, his face turned down into a steely glare. The man holding the suitcase visibly shudders, pale with fear.

"It's alright." Adam raises a hand to get the man's attention. "You can walk with me, alright? We'll both walk toward the door at the same time, okay?"

“..O-Okay. Yeah. Right.” The man slowly pulls himself and the suitcase away from the window, nodding. “..R-Ready when you are.”

"Okay. I'm going to move to my left, so you move to your right." He nods and waits for the man to nod back, then starts walking toward the door.

“R-Right. Right.” The man slowly begins to shift toward the door, to the right. “I..I’m Joey, by the way.”

"Joey. Well, you're doing brilliantly, Joey. My name is Adam." He grins a little, just enough to be reassuring but not enough to be concerning.

“Adam..Y-You’re a brave guy, you know that? To be held hostage like this and not even break a sweat. A-Are you scared?” His voice gets closer to the doorway.

"Yeah, yeah, I am." He glances at the thugs and Pentious. "I don't think there's a single person here who isn't a little bit scared."

Pentious’s face doesn’t even so much as twitch, while Victor starts to chuckle. The rest of the Noblemen share glances, Aaron looking pale while Gunther is looking away. There was the sound of a creak, and the door slowly opens, Joey standing there, suitcase in his hands. He holds it out, carefully. “H-Here. Take it.”

"Okay, you're going to want to hold it for a moment after I grab it, alright?" Adam inches forward. "There are a few delicate items in there, and we don't want any sudden noise for our friends with guns, alright?"

“R-Right. Yeah. Of course. Whatever you say.” He nods softly, shaking softly, pale.

"Okay, I'm going to grab it now. Hold on." He grabs the middle of the case, and in an instant jerks his arms so the man comes stumbling down the steps. He steps back to watch him fall and sets the case down, then snatches him by the collar and starts walking while he's still disoriented.

Joey, not expecting the sudden yank, loses his balance and winds up toppling down the stairs, crashing to the ground with a plume of dust raising up around him. All the other people in the car scream, and Joey barely even has the time to react before he’s suddenly being dragged across the ground by his back. His hands move to flail, to try and yank Adam’s hand off of his shirt. “W-What’s happening?! What are you doing?!”

"Sorry, Joey. This is what I call a _convincing lie_. Well, not all of it was a lie, but - you'll see." Adam walks up in front of Sir Pentious and lifts the man up to look him in the eyes. "The man in front of you, Joey, has killed hundreds upon hundreds of people. This is the face of a killer."

Pentious’s glare has now completely twisted into a deep, sharp grin, practically taking up his entire face, exposing every single tooth, and his shoulders shake with a quiet chuckle. “Oh, what’s this? Going to give me a front row seat, are you?” He raises a brow, eyes glimmering with anticipation.

Joey is frozen, practically shaking in Adam’s grip, his legs sprawled uselessly across the ground like he can’t even think to use them, knees in the dirt, arms raised up at his shirt collar to try and keep it from tightening against his throat, and he can’t help but stare at Sir Pentious, stare at him as if he was a monstrous beast, ready to strike, to inflict pain, to end his life. “I..I..Wh-What do you mean?”

"Joey, Joey, Joey." Adam crouches behind him, talking into his ear now as he reaches for the knife tucked into his belt. "Pentious lets people see that murderous intent on his face." He brings the tip of his knife to his chest, just between two ribs. "Me? Not so much."

Adam drives the knife into his chest, looking up at Pentious all the while, grinning from ear to ear.

Joey’s entire body physically jolts as the knife sinks into the hilt, his frame shaking, his voice dissolving and dying in his throat with a soft, haunting wheeze, and blood instantly begins to bloom across the dark fabric of his shirt, his jaw dropping, blood visibly pouring over his teeth to slide down his lips. Pentious’s eyes, locked with Adam’s own, light up with a shine of pure sadistic delight, vicious and conniving and _greedy_ , and it wasn’t long before a laugh started to build in his chest, the beginnings of a cackle that sadly never reached their peak. But Adam can see the way his eyes burn with the need to laugh. He wants to cackle till the skies crashes down from above and cackle beyond even then. But he keeps it subdued, confined, contained, and so, all he merely does is chuckle.

The people in the cars begin to scream.

Adam tilts Joey forward and removes the knife from his chest. Blood spurts onto the ground in front Pentious's shoes as he stands up, knife hand bloody. He bows toward him ever so slightly, one hand on his chest and the other balancing the knife on his palm. "I hope you enjoyed the show?"

Another soft, subdued chuckle, and he lifts a hand up to press it to Adam’s shoulder. “Oh, it isn’t _me_ that needs convincing.” He slowly turns to face the group, hand moving to wrap around Adam’s shoulder? “Well? Gentlemen?”

Aaron was shaking as he stared at the body, looking close to passing out, but he slowly nods. “Y-Yes, of course. As long as he..keeps that far away from _me_.” 

Lily can’t help but whistle, softly, a bit of a smirk lifting her lips. “I have to admit. I was doubting at first, but now I’m convinced. Very theatric.”

Gunther doesn’t answer for a moment, before he sighs and nods, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I agree. Though I ask that you wash off that knife.”

Christina nods, giving a thumbs up, flashing a smile. “I think we got ourselves a keeper.”

"Oh, thank you, thank you, everyone." Adam chuckles, lowering his hands, and turns to walk over to where he had discarded his suitcase. "Anybody up for a round of drinks?"

“Hahah!” Lily herself lets out a laugh and raises her bottle in the air. “I like this guy already!” 

Pentious chuckles a touch at that, smirking down at the body, still at his feet. “Yes. I do too.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some smut in this chapter! Hope you enjoy it~

Pentious lets out a sigh as he moves to slide off the seat of the carriage, taking a moment to steady himself on the flank of one of the horses with a hand, his other planting his cane firmly on the ground, wincing a touch at the sensation of the damp soil squishing slightly beneath his shoes, the ground mildly wet from the rain the day previous. He looks up toward the massive wooden inn, an almost rustic looking place that had a massive stone chimney on the side, with the sign above the front porch roof displaying in cursive letters “ _ The Restful Hearth _ ”, before turning his head to survey the rest of his crew as they began to climb down from their own respective wagons, catching sight of Lily as she fed one of the horses an oatcake, as well as Christina, who was busy helping a small child hop down the step of the wagon by holding his hand. He feels his chest ache just a touch at the sight of the kid, but he looks away upon hearing the sound of the inn’s door opening, just in time to see Gunther stepping out, accompanied by Aaron, and he holds his hand up towards them, starting to walk his way toward them, his legs no longer trembling. “Gunther! Did you get the rooms ready?”

The man in question raises a hand in turn, walking toward him with a grin. “Yeah, they’re setting them up now. Should only take about a minute or so.”

Aaron himself moves to lean down toward Pentious, his voice a touch hushed. “I didn’t see any wanted posters anywhere when I scouted the streets earlier, but I’d still suggest to keep your head low for now. Just in case.”

Pentious nods a touch, before moving to turn towards the array of at least ten other men and women who had been guarding the wagons as they moved along the trails, who were now milling about and aiding in pulling suitcases from the wagons. Pentious moves to walk toward them, snapping his fingers thrice to all get their attention. “Alright now, listen up! It’s been a long day, and I think we all deserve to get some rest. I’m relieving you of official duty for the night, so feel free to go about the rest of the day in the city. Just remember the rules; don’t make a public ruckus, and if you do, don’t get caught. Got it?”

“Yes, boss,” is the general consensus, relieved expressions popping up throughout the crowd. The suitcases continue to be pulled and handed out between the workers. Familiar footsteps come from the carriage Pentious had been in, followed by a deep breath and noisy exhale.

“Ah, back in the city again.” Adam hops down from the carriage, grinning widely and rubbing his hands together. He walks up to Pentious and nudges him with his elbow. “Do you have any plans of your own?”

Pentious can’t help but smirk a touch at the sound of Adam’s voice, chuckling a touch and turning to face him. “I was considering merely spending the night in our room, working on some new blueprints, and finally getting around to repairing my watch..” He trails off when he sees the smirk on Adam’s face, and his eyes narrow a bit. “..You’re planning something. You have that “planning” look on your face.”

“Don’t you know I’m always planning something?” He chuckles, his smirk only growing. “I’m perfectly content with staying indoors for the rest of the day and doing nothing but boring things like sleeping and occasionally offering strange advice when asked.”

Gunther laughs shortly and raises his brows at him. “Whatever you’re thinking, keep it quiet, yeah?”

“Quiet is my specialty.” He beams at him, all teeth and gums.

Pentious shakes his head a touch, snickering, leaning on his cane as he pivots it to the side. “And what exactly  _ are _ you thinking, hm?”

“Ah, ah, ah!” He raises a finger, waving it in the air. “You want to do things the boring way, you get surprises.” He taps his nose and starts walking toward the inn, stretching his arms over his head and popping his back, humming a tune loud enough for most people to hear him.

“I don’t exactly like surprises, especially if you’re dragging  _ me _ into them!” Pentious shakes his head in amusement but moves to walk after him. “Can I at least get a hint? I know you’re already going to drag me out of the room the moment we get our bags in there anyway; you  _ always _ drag me out of an inn the second we get in one!”

“Maybe that’s my surprise. Ever think about that?” He looks over his shoulder at him, laughing. “Don’t worry so much!”

“I always worry, chuckaboo, and you know you can’t do a damn thing to stop me.” He turns his head to glance toward Lily and Christina, who were both walking toward them, the little child holding both of their hands; he seemed to gravitate toward them both a lot more than he did with any of the others, and Pentious lets himself smile a touch, glancing down toward him. “Hey there. How was the ride? Do you need anything? Are you hungry?”

“I could eat something, but I’m mostly sleepy.” He rocks on his heels, bouncing a little in place. “Do you think I could sleep in your room? Lily and Christina said they wanted to head out for a little, and I don’t wanna be alone.”

Pentious blinks a touch at that, not expecting it, and pointedly glances at Lily, eyes flicking back and forth between her and the boy, not entirely sure what to say. He didn’t want to say no and hurt the kid’s feelings, but he also knew that Adam wouldn’t be the type to budge on going out anyway. But before either of them could speak, Gunther places a hand on Pent’s shoulder and gives it a pat, before moving to go down on a knee, smiling softly at the kid. “Would you like to stay with me and Aaron for the night? I can show you how to make wood carvings, and I think Aaron has a game of cards we can play. Trust me, it’s quite a fun time.” He puts a hand to his mouth, as if whispering. “He hates it when he loses, throws a tantrum like an angry  _ hähnchen _ .” He chuckles a touch.

The boy chuckles in response, rocking on his heels again. “That does sound fun. But I wanted to stay with Sir Pentious. At least for a little?” He looks up at him again. “Please?”

Pentious feels his resolve crack, as fragile as it was, and before Gunther can even respond, he nods, trying his best to flash the kid a soft grin. “Of course you can. I would be a madman if I dared to say no.” He holds out a hand for the kid to take. “You said you were hungry? I think the inn has a kitchen area, we could see what they have.”

The boy takes his hand, yawning and moving to his side, leaning against his leg. “Maybe later. I’m more tired.”

Lily can’t help but grin widely at the sight. “Oh my Lord, he’s adorable.”

Pentious can’t help but feel his heart swell up at the sight of this boy leaning on his leg and knew right there and then he would slaughter a million men in a heartbeat just to make him feel safe. He would murder a million men anyways, but he would do it even faster if it meant making this kid smile. He lets himself chuckle, giving his hand a gentle tug. “Careful now, I don’t have much in my legs, if you push too hard I might just fall. You don’t wanna see a crippled man fall, it’s too sad.”

“Mm, you’re stronger than you look, though.” He stands up straight anyways and rubs an eye, yawning again and squeezing his hand. “Can we go in now? I’m tired.”

Pentious can’t help but let himself chuckle a bit louder, nodding. “Of course.” He begins to lead him up the steps to the inn’s porch, pausing as Gunther moves to hold the door open for them, nodding to him silently as they slip into the inn itself.

“Christina said you’re working on something big and Mr. Walker is helping you.” He brings his other hand to hold Pentious’, looking up at him as they walk. “Is he staying in your room too?”

“Mhm, that’s right. Is that ok?” He glances down at him as they walk through the hallway, past the numbered rooms and toward the stairs, leading up to the upper floor.

“Yeah, he’s alright. He tells some funny jokes.” He grins a bit. “He’s kinda odd, though. You know, even when he’s sleeping, he smiles.”

“Oh yes, I’ve seen that too.” He smirks a touch more at that. “He  _ never _ stops smiling. Not even once. Even  _ I _ haven’t seen him not smile.”

“It’s weird. But he’s nice.” He trudges up the stairs next to him. “I’m tired.”

“We’re almost there, don’t worry. Just a little further.” He gently leads him up the stairs, and as soon as they reach the second door in the hall, Pentious lifts his cane to knock. It was a quick rhythm, one that dropped as quickly as it came.

There’s some fumbling from inside the room, and then the door opens, Adam grinning widely. “They have  _ extra blankets _ here. And complimentary soap!”

“Hi, Mister Walker.” The boy waves at him.

Adam looks down, brows raising at the sight of the child. “Ah, Luther. To what do we owe the pleasure?”

“Lily and Christina are going out to see the elephant and Luther wanted to stay in our room to sleep. He’s very tired from the trip.” He raises a brow, ever so slightly. “Is that alright?”

“See the ele...?” He blinks, then nods. “Ah, I see. Of course! Of course. Come on in. I was just getting things sorted, you know, putting things here and there.” He steps back, giving them some space to walk in.

The room is rather spacious, a large bed taking up the center and a desk off to the side. There was even a small closet to put things, in front of which Adam had put most of their luggage. One of the smaller suitcases, one of Pentious’, rests near the desk for his use. A door leading to the bathroom is tucked into one of the corners.

“Thank you.” He can’t help but sigh in relief ever so slightly under his breath, moving to let go of Luther’s hand as he takes his top hat off and it hangs it up on the coat rack just next to the door, followed by his actual coat. “Rather lovely place for an inn, I’d have to say.”

“Quite a bit. They have all the amenities, as they say.” Adam walks over to the bed and sits on the edge, watching him take off his jacket.

Luther shuffles over to him and tries to pull himself up on the bed next to him, huffing as his hand slips on the blankets. “Hm....”

Adam watches him, smirking a little at the attempt, and then picks him up and sets him on the bed. “That’s better.” He raises a brow. “You do look tired, I’ll say that much.”

“I’m rather surprised that you didn’t fall asleep on the trip here.” Pentious raises a brow slightly, even as he moves to pick up his suitcase and place it on his desk, flicking the clasps to undo the locks and open it up.

“The road was too bumpy.” He flops back onto the bed, huffing again, and then flips over to his stomach and crawls further onto the bed, watching what Pentious was doing.

“Ah, ah. Let’s get those shoes off first.” Adam taps his heels.

“Hmm.”

He sighs and taps his shoes again. “Turn over and I’ll take them off for you.”

“Hmm.” He doesn’t move for a moment, then flips to his back again, watching Pentious upside down.

Adam shifts, starting to undo his laces.

That gets Pentious to smile, softly, snickering to himself feeling his heart swell just a little bit more. He turns back to his suitcase, taking a moment to glance over his collection of clothes, before moving to take out his pocket watch, giving it a quick flick with a finger, only to huff a touch when he finds the hands were no longer turning. He sets it back down, takes his backup revolver pistol out of his suitcase, opening up the casings to check if it was loaded or not, seeing all the chamber’s neatly filled, nodding to himself softly. He snaps the pistol closed before tucking it back into it’s place, adjusting his bow tie with another hand as he does so, finally moving to sit down in his chair, picking up the pocket watch again as he fishes out what looks to be a small screwdriver from his case, taking it to the watch’s interior and starting to turn it.

“It looks like your shoes may be wearing out already, little guy.” Adam gets one of his shoes off, looking over the sides, then sets it down and starts on the other. “We should look for some more while we’re here, at least to see if there are any good prices.” He has some trouble with the knot and leans in a little closer, picking at it. “Hmm...”

“I like these shoes, though.” Luther doesn’t even look at Adam, intently watching Pentious work, and he shifts a little.

Pentious narrows his eyes a touch as he works to jar the casing loose, and he lets out a soft little hum as the glass dome of the clock comes flicking upwards, as do the hands and white frame, showing off all the innards of the pocket watch. He leans back a touch, lifting up the watch and tilting it this way and that in an effort to get a look at an angle, setting the screwdriver back down and fishing out what looks to be a pair of tweezers. “How did that get there..” He mumbles softly to himself, starting to delicate pick at the inside of the watch.

“Oh, what is it?” Luther flips over, and Adam makes a small noise of annoyance, but neither of them acknowledges the other in words. Adam moves off the bed and sits down on the ground, working on the knot from there.

“Somehow..” He trails off to pluck at the watch’s insides a bit more. “A bug got stuck under the gears of the watch. A tiny one too. Not sure how. It  _ looks _ like it has wings..” He pulls what looks to be a shriveled up bug corpse out of the watch and places it down on the desk, lifting up the watch and giving it a soft blow of air, before delicately gripping something in the watch’s interior and starting to twist it.

“Ew.” Luther’s nose wrinkles.

“Bugs do like finding their ways into little crevices.” Adam manages to undo the knot and pulls shoe carefully from his foot. He sets it beside the other shoe and standing up again. “Almost like a certain someone I know.” He ruffles Luther’s hair.

“Hey, I’m not a bug.” He pushes his hand away.

“It’s a compliment.”

“You’re weird.”

“That’s a compliment too.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Yes, it is.”

_ “No, _ it isn’t.”

“Trust me, Luther, you won’t win on this one. He  _ will _ see it as a compliment no matter what you call him. I could call him a nose-bagger with a fly rink and gas pipes and he’d still gawk at me like I called him the most handsome man in the world.” Pentious smirks softly to himself as he hears the click of the gears, and he pulls the interior of the clock shut with a snap, tightening it with a quick turn of the screw. “Ah, there we go.”

Luther snickers at that, smirking at Adam before looking back to Pentious. “Fly rink.”

Adam rolls his eyes, smiling at Pentious. “You’re giving him ideas. Stop giving him ideas.”

“Luther, feel free to also call him a gigglemug. You have my permission.” Pentious finally looks up from his work to smirk at him.

“You  _ still _ haven’t told me what that means.” Adam points at him, smirking in return. “Some day I’ll get my hands on a British dictionary. Some day.”

Luther chuckles again, crawling into the middle of the bed and glancing between them.

“Don’t make me call you more names. I’ll do it.” Pentious turns to face him in the chair now, still smirking. “How about cat-lap? Bricky? Gal-sneaker?”

“Whatever  _ gal-sneaker _ means has nothing to do with me, and I will not abide such slander.” He crosses his arms. “Although, I do like cats.”

“I like birds,” Luther adds helpfully.

Adam decides not to mention that cats eat birds. Also helpfully.

“Do you even know why I call you chuckaboo?” Pentious raises a brow, still smirking.

“Obviously. I chuckle a lot. What do I look like? A fool?” He holds his chin up.

There was a pause before Pentious’s composure crumbles, and he breaks down into full on laughter, a guffaw that starts off steady enough, but then just gets louder as Pentious tilts his head back to laugh even harder, a hand clasped to his forehead while another one slaps against his knee. “Hahahahaha!  _ Aaahhahahahahahahah _ !”

Adam stands there, smiling, that smile widening despite knowing he was being laughed at because hearing that laugh was a gift of its own. Luther chuckles lightly as Pentious starts laughing, then can’t help but join in, giggling as he gets more and more breathless.

It takes a couple of seconds for Pentious to regain his composure enough to speak, wiping away a tear at his eye, shaking his head, still giggling. “Ohh...Oh, Adam, never change.”

“I do not intend to!” He chuckles a little himself, putting his hands on his hips. “Anyone want to see a magic trick?”

“I do!” Luther raises a hand, eyes looking a bit more bright.

“Magic trick, dear?” Pentious raises a brow, softly.

“Oh, right. I’ve never shown you any.” His grin widens as he brings a hand to his chin. “Hm, okay... Luther, pick a number between one and ten.”

“Uhhh...8?” Luther sits up a touch from the bed, staring intently at him.

“Great number. I love even numbers.” Adam stretches out his fingers in front of him, holding his palms out toward them, and then starts counting down his fingers, pulling each down until he’s left with only two fingers, his ring and pinky finger. “Ah, you’ve put me in a difficult position, Luther. But! Using only these fingers-” He wiggles the two, getting a small laugh from the kid. “-I am going to make an  _ entire _ deck of cards appear.”

Pentious can’t help but smirk to himself, raising a brow. “Are you?”

“Ah, I knew you’d be a cynic, Mister Mechanical Man.” He smirks at him, and then rolls up his sleeves and shows his hands, fingers tucked away. “This is one I learned  _ all _ by myself. Real magic, I promise you. Now watch closely...” Adam holds out his closed fist, then brings his other hand over it, holding his ring and pinky fingers and gently tapping his knuckles. “Eights are very interesting numbers, you know.” He glances between the two of them. “Some say they symbolize infinity, some say they bring good luck. Four leaf clovers have eight rounds, after all. And now they’ll bring...”

He snaps his fingers against the back of his hand, twisting his wrist around and unfurling his fingers, showing off a pristine, boxed deck of cards in his palm.

“A nice deck of cards to play with.” Adam smirks widely.

Luther immediately springs up from where he was laying, eyes wide with shock, leaning forward with a gasp. “Woaaaaaaaah..” He looks up at him with a giddy smile. “How did you even  _ do _ that?”

Pentious narrows his eyes at the sight of the deck of cards, raising a brow. “...Alright, I admit. That’s quite the fifteen puzzle.”

“I told you! It’s magic.” Adam chuckles, opening the box and shuffling the cards, the motions fluid. “Would you like to see another?”

“Hmm..” Pentious glances at Luther with a raised brow. “Do  _ you _ , Luther? You said you were tired earlier.”

“Well, I guess.” He grins sheepishly. “Maybe just one more? It’s really cool.”

“Hm.” He smirks and gestures to Adam. “The boy has spoken.”

“Of course, of course!” He shuffles the deck a bit more, making a streamline between his hands that makes a zipping noise. Then he fans out the cards and holds them out to Luther. “Would you be so kind as to choose a card, any card? Don’t show me once you’ve chosen.”

“Uhh..” His hand hovers over the card before he picks one out of the deck, peeking at it and holding it to his chest.

“And you, my dear?” He holds out the cards to Pentious, smile widening.

Pentious chuckles and moves to take his own card as well, glancing at it. It was the King of Clubs.

“Good, good.” He takes a step back, setting the cards back into a deck and shuffling them. “Now, this is a bit of a spin off an old card trick I learned down in Louisiana. Simple, but difficult.” He pats the deck into one hand and starts taking cards off the top. “Now, is  _ this- _ ” He suddenly flips the card he’s taking over, exposing a four of hearts. “-either of your cards?”

Both Luther and Pentious glance at their cards, Luther being the first to speak, his eyes going wide. “Woaaah...Yeah! It is!”

Adam chuckles, grinning from ear to ear, and starts flipping the card between his fingers. “And is  _ this _ ...” He stops flipping it, showing a king of clubs to Pentious. “...your card?”

The man blinks, before chuckling and flipping his card over for him to see. “Guilty as charged, chuckaboo.”

“Huh?” Luther blinks at him. “But that’s a four of...” His eyes widen and he looks at his card, gasping. “No way!” He turns it around, showing the king of clubs. His head swivels between the two of them, shock on his face. “How is - how did you-?”

Adam chuckles, shuffling the deck again and smirking at the two of them. “It’s all in the magic.”

Pentious blinks at Luther’s card, before glancing at his own card to find that it was the four of hearts. He stares for a moment, then glances up at Adam with a bewildered look on his face. “...Ok, you need to explain right now.”

“Haha! I told you, it’s magic.” His smile grows further, dimples appearing on either side of his face. He leans closer to Luther. “Comes from my mother’s side.”

“Wow, your mother taught you that? She must’ve been really neat!” Luther moves to hand back the card, sitting criss-crossed on the bed. “What was she like?”

“Oh, she was wonderful.” He takes the card, shuffling it into the deck, and then takes Pentious’ card as well. “Kindest person I’ve ever known. I used to help her sneak sweets out to the other kids when my father wasn’t looking.”

“Heheh. Wow, she sounds great. Where is she now?”

Pentious’s eyes snap to Adam at that, and a slight tension fills the air. He subtly shakes his head, ever so slightly.

Adam catches the glance, but doesn’t draw attention to it, chuckling to fill the space. “Oh, she’s still out in Louisiana. She never liked the city life much. Always loved nature.”

“Ohh.” He nods softly, moving to sit back against one of the pillows, letting out a bit of a yawn. “Think we can ever go see her?”

“Hmm, maybe.” He tucks the cards back into their box. “Her house is pretty hidden, but I think I can remember the path. Someday, though. The path is only lit under the light of the full moon.”

Luther stares at him for a moment, squinting. “Are you pulling my leg?”

“Her magic is stronger than mine.” He shrugs. “Here I am fiddling with cards, and she can make a forest her maze.”

“Heh..What other magic can you do?” He tilts his head, lifting a hand to rub his eye.

“Oh, I can’t disclose that. Rule number one of magic: only show what you have to.” Adam walks over to him, tousling his hair again. “How about we tuck you into bed, hm? You look mighty sleepy.”

“Mmm.” He grunts a touch, pouting a bit. “Do I have to?”

“You look about ready to fall over, deary.” He pushes his hair back and puts the back of his hand to his forehead, sitting down next to him. “And it’s been a long trip.”

“Mmm..Fiiiine..” He sighs to himself, pouting a bit more.

“There’s always tomorrow.” He pats his shoulder and stands, walking around the bed and to the front. “Come on, now. Under the blankets.”

He grumbles softly, but moves to pick up the edges of the blankets, lifting them up long enough to slide beneath them, settling down against the pillows, letting out another yawn.

“There we are.” He fixes the blankets over him, smoothing them out, and then walks back around over to Pentious, humming a tune softly.

Pentious smiles softly, watching as Luther’s eyes close, his breathing already starting to deepen, his body already starting to relax into the softness of the bed, and he finally moves to close the pocket watch, raising it to his ear so that he could hear it tick, smirking a bit when he finds the sound to be sharp and clear. Adam continues humming, leaning against the desk in front of Pentious. He watches the growing supervillain in front of him with a similarly soft smile. Pentious feels his own smile soften when taking in such a lovely gaze, and he holds out his hand for Adam to take, bringing the man’s hand close to his lips to press a soft kiss to his knuckles.

He chuckles softly, leaning down and kissing his cheek in return. “Always such a gentleman.” His voice much quieter than usual, barely more than a whisper.

“We both are, let’s face it.” His voice was equally soft, and he glances toward Luther, then back at him. “I thought you said you didn’t know how to handle children.”

“I don’t. But I was one once, and magic never fails anyone.” He smirks, running his thumb over his knuckles. “Besides, a sleeping child is better than a rowdy one.”

“Mm. I suppose so.” He glances out the window above the desk, out at the starry night. “..What do you want to do? I’m in no mood to sleep right now tonight, frankly.”

“There’s always something to do in the city.” Adam grins at the information. “I was considering looking around for a play or theater house. Listen to music or something.”

“Mm...Perhaps. I hear this place also has quite the nice park too. Plenty of space. Practically a forest in and of itself.” He lifts a hand to cup his cheek, rubbing a thumb over his skin.

“We could see both? Visit a theater, then head out to the parks?” He leans into the touch.

“Sounds like a grand night to me.” He squeezes his hand, softly. “Just the two of us.” He lets his grin become more of a smirk. “We can practically do anything we want.”

“Mm, I do like making cities into playgrounds.” Adam smirks, a small gleam in his eyes.

“Heheh.” He chuckles softly. “Ohh, I can just imagine the chaos now.” He glances over at Luther. “I think he’s asleep.”

“Mm, certainly looks it.” He follows his gaze. “Should we get Gunther to watch over him? Or bring him to Gunther’s room?”

“Probably best to just leave him asleep for now. Get Gunther to stay and watch him.” He slowly moves to stand from his chair, carefully keeping a grip on his cane.

Adam straightens from where he’s leaning against the desk. “Do you want to bring your pistol? Just in case.”

“Already have one.” He walks over to his coat, still hanging on the rack, and pulls out a pistol from the interior pocket, before placing it back in. “The one in my suitcase is just a back-up.”

Adam raises a brow. “Clever.” He chuckles and follows him. “Well, I’m ready to head out if you are.”

“Of course.” He moves to put on his coat, as well as his hat, flashing that sadistic, conniving grin that Adam knew and loved, before moving to open the door. “Shall we?”

•••

Despite the moon rising in the distant sky, the streets are full of people. Bars are open, full of chatter and the occasional drunken chorus, and some businesses are finishing up their last few hours before closing up. A particular street has amassed a cluster of people, a line trailing around the block coming out from a tall theater with a sign reading, “Come See the Peterson Debut!” Adam hums under his breath as they approach the corner where the line is curling around, slowing to a stop where they stood on the opposite side of the road.

“They seem rather busy.” He glances at Sir Pentious. “Could be an interesting show.”

“Could be.” His eyes flick over the sign, and he raises a brow, softly. “The Peterson Debut...Never heard of such a thing.” He shifts his stance on his cane ever so slightly, fingers trilling against the wood. “Though the fact that they’ve certainly got a large audience does have me curious..”

“I don’t mind taking a peek. It’s been quite a while since I went to a theater, in all honesty.” He gives Pentious a certain look, eyes narrowing and grin widening, humming again.

He catches that look, catches the way his eyes glimmer in the light of the buildings surrounding them, and he smirks right back. “Oh really? What a shame. Consider this  _ my _ contribution then. I’d be happy to pay for the tickets.”

Adam chuckles and leans close. “Why pay when there are so many tickets sitting right in front of us?”

He blinks, glancing toward the crowd of people in front of them, then chuckles softly, whispering under his breath. “I see. How do you propose we go about taking them, then? This may be the middle of the night but, well, it’s not like the streets are empty.”

“Plenty of alleys nearby to help.” He eyes the crowd. “We could pretend like one of us is hurt, lure them away, and then turn it into a mugging.”

“Mm..Good plan, good plan. Who pretends they’re hurt and who lures them?”

“Hmm..” He taps his chin. “Usually I’m a rather decent actor, but I think my grin might unsettle people. It’s hard for me to act under duress.”

“Hmm..Perhaps..And they might believe me more if a crippled man comes to them, asking for aid.” He scans the crowd again. “..Trouble is, I can’t just go shouting for help without drawing the whole of them, and merely tapping someone on the shoulder and asking for help would be suspicious...”

“That’s true....” He thinks for a moment. “I would say I could act drunk, but they may just run for the cops at that point. The city is a bit unpredictable that way.”

“Yes, indeed.” He hums softly to himself, tapping his cane against the sidewalk, idly, as if in thought. He leans a touch closer, almost to the point where his shoulder was brushing Adam’s chest. “...You could always sneak up behind someone and press a gun to their back..”

“Hmm. And what’s keeping them from alerting everyone around them? Or the person next to them from seeing?” Adam raises a brow. “It’s dark, but there are quite a few lights on that side of the street.”

“You tell them that you’ll shoot if they make a sound. As for no one else seeing..” He scans the crowd again. “..We find someone who’s already alone..”

“Fair enough...” He follows Pentious’ example. “Hm. See the young man at the back, letting people ahead of him? He seems to be waiting for someone.”

“Hmm..Yes, he does seem to be that way..” Pentious’s eyes narrow, softly. “...Craning his neck, looking around, dapper clothes. You have a better stance with guns. My limp could make me stagger and people would see the flash of the metal from the streetlights.”

“Do you want to do the talking? It sounds like you’ve done this before.” He grins at him.

“Perhaps I have, once or twice.” He chuckles a touch. “Here..” There was a subtle shuffling before the feeling of cold metal presses into Adam’s hand. “Use mine. I modified it so the chamber revolves itself faster, in case we do need to shoot.”

“Oh, how kind of you.” He wraps his fingers around the handle and tucks it inside his suit jacket. “We should cross at the other end of the block, I think. Less people would see us passing by.”

“Sounds good to me. Simply say the word.”

“I’m ready when you are.” He shows off his teeth and loops his arm through Pentious’.

Pentious takes a moment to chuckle before they start walking again, slowly making their way down their respective street, with Pentious glancing toward the line every so often, noting how much of the people within it weren’t paying much attention to their surroundings and merely talking amongst themselves. It wasn’t long before they reach the end of the line, just at the cusp of the next corner, and Pentious gives Adam’s arm an idle tug, before moving to walk across the street, his face kept calm, composed, bereft of a smile and held in a way that was almost noble, if not posh. Adam raises a brow at the tug, and then further at the put together look on his face. He had seen it before, plenty of times. His business face. He can’t help but wish he smiled more.

It wasn’t long before they both were stepping onto the corner of the new sidewalk, watching as another pair who was heading toward the line was ushered to step forward by the same man that they had spotted before. He was a young looking man, a bit more on the scrawny side, wearing a suit that clearly had been freshly bought. And was clutching two tickets tightly in one fist, his other holding onto a single rose that he was holding tightly, the thorns appearing to have all been snipped off. Pentious takes a moment to adjust his bow tie, before slowly pulling his arm away from Adam’s, moving to approach the man and tap him on the shoulder. “Excuse me, my good man, but would this line happen to be for the theater? I hear they’re showing a brand new performance and I would hate to miss out on it.”

“Oh, uh!” The man turns toward him, smiling kindly and sheepishly. “Yes, this is the line. I’m waiting for someone, though, so-”

Adam moves behind him, arms shifting ever so slightly, and Pentious can tell the moment the man feels the gun on his back by the way his face pales. “No screams, please. I’d hate to wake up the entire neighborhood.”

Pentious can’t help but let out a bit of a chuckle at that, leaning a bit more closely to the man’s face so he can hear. “Perfect. Now, before we get down to proper business, may I ask you your name?”

“I, uh, it’s - my name’s Logan.” His eyes flick back and forth between them, just barely able to make out Adam’s gaze over his shoulder. “What - what do you want?”

Adam raises a brow. “I would have thought that was obvious.”

“Now, now, no need to be so hasty. After all this place is barely the appropriate setting. Wouldn’t want to scar anyone’s ears with them possibly overhearing.” He turns away, tapping his cane on the ground twice. “Follow me, Logan, and please, don’t try to run. I assure you that you’ll be dead the moment that gun leaves your back.”

“I, um, of - of course.” Logan glances at Adam again, who merely smiles with picturesque innocence, and then shakily walks after Pentious. “So, um, since I told you my name, what are your names?”

“Adam and Eve.” The grin on Adam’s face widens with mirth, evidently holding back laughter.

Pentious barely holds back a chuckle himself at that, though he does move to adjust his bow tie. “Richard. That’s all you need  _ to _ know, my good man. Rest assured, you’re not in any trouble for anything. We just need to conduct a little business is all, you understand. And I would appreciate it if you cooperated, so as to avoid anything getting messy.” He slowly begins to lead them around the corner, away from the sight of most people, before finally walking toward that of a dark alley, between two buildings that lacked any kind of window or feasible exit.

Adam hums lightly as they walk, looking around at the buildings and more or less enjoying the architecture. Logan shifts a little to the side as they enter the alley, then stiffens and continues walking right after Pentious as Adam gives him a swift leer, eyes and teeth glinting in the uneven lighting. He swallows roughly. “I have - money, if you want it, I have it. You can take it. Just - just please, let me go.”

“Well, that was quick.”

“Money, you say?” Pentious turns to glance back at him with a smirk, finally stopping and turning to face the man after they arrive at the very back of the alley, a small, cramped rectangular space with no way to run except the way they already came. He chuckles softly, leaning on his cane, towards Logan’s petrified face. “No, no. We don’t want the money, I’m afraid. What we want is something much more simple.” He holds out his hand. “The tickets.”

Logan’s eyes widen. “The - tickets?” He blinks. “What?”

“Is it so hard to believe that a few criminals would want to listen to music and plays just like anyone else?” Adam presses the barrel into the man’s back, chuckling.

“I, um!” His trembling increases and he hurriedly shoves a hand into his pocket and pulls out two ticket stubs. “H-here. Take it.”

“Mm. That was rather quick.” He moves to examine the tickets with a scrutinizing eye. “Saving these for a date, were you?”

“Y-yeah, our, um, our first date, actually.” He shakes in place, voice tightening and head lowering. “Can I go now?”

“Ohoho..” Pentious’s voice slowly dips down into a soft, malicious chuckle, and a large, toothy grin slowly grows over his face. “I’m afraid not. We said you weren’t in any trouble. We never said you weren’t in  _ danger _ .” He tucks the ticket stubs into his pocket, just before he lifts up the end of his cane over his head with both hands and brings it down with a  _ crack _ over Logan’s skull. Adam steps back, letting the man fall to the ground, and smirks at the yelp and thud as he hits the ground. Logan pushes himself up to his knees, trembling, small whimpers falling from his lips as he touches blood seeping down his forehead. Adam tucks the gun away in his coat and reels his leg back, slamming his shoe into his side hard enough to startle a cough from him, sending him back to the ground. A chuckle echoes quietly through the alley and Adam’s grin stretches across his face. Pentious himself meets his gaze with his own horrible grin, and he raises his cane up again, bringing it down with yet another sickening  _ crack _ down onto his side, just below the armpit, and he visibly shivers at the sound, a prickle of goosebumps sliding over his skin. “Ooh. I think that was a rib.” He chuckles a bit louder, bringing his cane up and slamming it down again, on that exact same spot.

“Agh!” Logan pants, almost hyperventilating, and grabs at the spot. “Please. Please, you don’t have to-”

Adam kicks him again, not really caring where he’s aiming, and then kneels down and yanks at the man’s tie.

“Wh-what are you-?” He pushes at his hands, only for Adam to grip his collar, shake him, and punch him solidly in the cheek. He makes a small noise, no longer fighting.

“I absolutely hate it when people start begging for their lives.” He pulls the tie away, gripping the man’s mouth and stuffing it inside, leaning a knee on his chest as the man starts squirming and trying to push him off. “Words have no passion behind them without action.”

“Didn’t you once tell me that was your favorite part of the whole thing? Or am I not remembering things right?” He presses the end of the cane down on Logan’s forehead, leaning in with his own weight.

“It has its own merits, but the begging gets boring after a while. In my opinion.” Adam covers Logan’s mouth to keep him from spitting it out, watching the terror and pain in his eyes as he continues to try and kick and squirm. He chuckles and closes his fingers over the man’s nose, effectively cutting off his air supply. “The part I really like most is watching them struggle in futility.” He tightens his hand as Logan thrashes his head, trying to make noises. A hand darts up to grab Adam’s wrist.

“Hehe. Well, I suppose we all have our opinions, don’t we?” Pentious tilts his head a touch. “Want me to break his ribs? Shut him up a little?”

“Mm, that does sound good.” He holds onto him for a moment longer, watching as his face turns red, and then releases his hand and steps back, shaking off Logan’s hand from his wrist. He stands and straightens his clothes. “Mind if I help you with that?”

“Oh, not at all, chuckaboo.” Pentious chuckles a touch, moving to press his own foot down against Logan’s head, pushing it to the side, forcing his cheek to smush against the ground.

He smirks, pulling his leg back and kicking Logan as he tries to curl up. There’s no crack, but the muffled noise that follows it is satisfying enough. “Oh, it’s been quite some time since I’ve done  _ this _ .” He kicks him again, then again, and again, and finally there’s a snap and Logan lets out a pained scream that barely echoes up to their ears. Adam chuckles darkly, smile widening, and presses his foot down where he had been kicking. “I’m always being so careful, but there’s really no need for it, is there?”

“Hehehe. Of course not, darling. Not while I’m here, that’s for sure.” Pentious chuckles, moving his cane to poke around the area where Adam had broken the bone, pressing down as well, eager to see if the bone would push through the skin. “How should we leave his corpse? I don’t think we have any knives to rip anything off, but I wouldn’t be opposed to breaking any limbs. Could leave him all twisted up like a straw doll.”

“Funny you should ask.” Adam shifts his weight on to his foot on top of Logan, bringing his hands back and under his jacket. He pulls out a large kitchen knife, one of his personal favorites that he’d shown Pentious when they first met. “Do you have any requests?”

Pentious sees the glint of that knife, sees the way Adam’s smile reflects the light that slides along the blade, and he feels himself shiver, letting out a chuckle as he  _ shoves _ his cane down on the spot where the bone was broken, drawing forth a small squirt of blood as the skin breaks. “Have I ever mentioned how much I love you?”

“Ah, I, uh, um - no, actually.” His face erupts into dark pink, his smirk turning lopsided, and he chuckles to try and cover his fluster.

That gets Pentious’s cool, calm composure to break a touch, and he lets out a bit of a laugh, hidden behind a gloved hand so as to muffle the sound, shaking his head as he casually twists the cane, slowly digging it  _ into _ the new wound he’s made. He finally lowers his hand to give Adam a soft smirk, eyes narrowed with mirth. “Don’t get too distracted, now, dearest. Our friend here is still breathing.”

“I am not distracted! You are.” He chuckles, though, mentally urging the cool night’s air to calm his face. Logan tries to shout through his gag and he takes the opportunity to look back down at him. “So what should we do? Or rather, what do you  _ want _ to do?”

“Hmm...I’d say we go about cutting him open. Make it look as if he was torn apart instead of merely beaten with his throat slit. Makes the people scared, and the mutton shunters confused.” He pulls out a large handkerchief at that, from one of his inner pockets. “We can use this to mop up any blood that gets on ourselves.”

“Heheheh. We may need more than that.” He taps Logan’s side, and the man tries to curl up, whimpering again. He glances over his shoulder at the sidewalk, a safe distance away, and then taps his lip with his knife. “Make it look like he’s been torn apart... That’d be difficult with a knife. Cuts too cleanly.”

Pentious hums a touch, eyes narrowing, finally pulling the cane out of the bloody hole that he’s made in Logan’s side to plant the end of it back down on the ground. “Fair, Fair...” He huffs a touch, rolling his eyes as he crosses his arms, sounding a touch annoyed. “I  _ suppose _ we could always just stab him an obscene amount of times. Leave him to rot in here.”

“There’s always another hapless victim waiting for us, you know.” He leans down to look Logan over.

“Mm...Very true.” He chuckles a touch. “Tell you what? Next kill,  _ you _ be the one to commandeer how we go about it. This one was mostly mine anyways.”

“Sounds like a deal to me.” He smirks at him and sets his knife over Logan’s chest. “Though the more I’m thinking about this, the more I’m wondering if we should even  _ stab _ him. We still have a show to see. Don’t want to walk in covered in blood.”

“If we use a knife, we’ll end up bloody no matter what, won’t we?” He tilts his head, pressing his foot down just a touch harder against Logan’s temple.

“Yes, but there’s a difference between somewhat bloody and bathing in the stuff.” Adam watches him. “We could just snap his neck.”

“Hmm...” Pentious moves to pull out his pocket watch, opening it, glancing at it for a moment before clicking it shut again. “Yes, yes, I suppose you’re right.” He glances down at him. “I still say break his ribs first. All of them. Can’t let him off  _ too _ easy now can we?” He flashes a venomous grin down at their poor victim, chuckling.

He snickers, standing up and tucking his knife away. “Of course. Would you like to start?”

“Gladly, my dear.” He lifts his cane up, pauses, then chuckles. “Hold his arms down for me.” Once he does so, he brings the handle of the cane right down on Logan’s chest with a harsh swing. He brings it back up, over his head, then swings it right back down again, and again, and again, over and over.

Adam steps on the hand nearest him, waiting for Logan to grab his pant leg before he steps his other leg on his wrist, letting his full weight crush into his hands. He makes a show of looking at his nails, but pays them no mind, instead looking past them and watching as he brings his cane down. “Have you ever thought of making that into a sort of... hidden weapon? Design a gun or sword to fit inside it?”

He pauses a touch as he brings the cane over his head, tilts his head a touch. “Sometimes I have, but I always figured that carrying that sort of cane around would only be that of a red flag. After all, why would a crippled man walk around with a cane that can  _ stab _ someone?” He brings the cane down doubly hard, and he chuckles as a loud  _ crack _ rings out in the air, accompanied by Logan screaming past the gag, and a spurt of blood splattering up from his lips. “Besides, I honestly prefer this method. Much more painful. Much more  _ slow _ .”

“I suppose the point would be to make it so no one  _ knows _ you have a sword on you.” Adam smirks, watching the blood spatter. “Like how you didn’t even know I had a knife on me when we left the others.”

“And trust me, my dear, that is a very  _ lovely _ point you make.” He brings the cane down yet again, and another crack follows, along with blood slowly staining Logan’s shirt as the thin frame of a jagged bone  _ pushes _ through the flesh, and Pentious chuckles. “Ooh. What are the chances of a punctured lung?”

“Since we’re caving his chest inward...” He tilts his head and glances at Logan’s face. He was already starting to look tired. “Rather high.”

“Mm.” Pentious follows his gaze, chuckling, finally moving his cane back down to rest against the ground once more. “I think it’s time we’re done here, don’t you agree?”

He steps back and nudges his wrists, getting very little response. “He’s no longer any fun. What time did the tickets say again? We may still be able to get a seat.”

“Hmm..” He pulls one of the tickets out, before pulling out his pocket watch. “..It’s currently 12:31, and the tickets are for 1:00.” He smirks a bit. “We could always kill the time by waiting in line.”

“I wouldn’t mind that.” Adam chuckles. “We should probably check for blood on our shoes first, though. Best to be cautious.”

“Of course, of course.” He waves a hand down toward Logan’s paling body. “Would you do the honors of snapping his neck, my dear?”

“So long as you’re the one asking.” He crouches and lifts Logan up by the shoulder, getting a pained groan from him and little else. He grips his head, humming a little tune, ignoring the muffled noises of panic, and with one swift motion snaps the man’s neck. His body goes limp in his arms. “Ah, such a wonderful sound.”

That gets Pentious to smirk softly, and he moves to take out the handkerchief, lifting up his cane to wipe off the end of it that had dug into Logan’s side. “Yes, it truly sends shivers up the spine, does it not?” He glances down at him, eyes half-lidded. “Dare I say it’s almost as beautiful as your laugh.”

“Compliments after murder. To what do I owe the pleasure?” He stands, letting the body slump to the floor, and dusts his hands off, really only managing to smear blood across his palms.

“You’re the one who decided to take me out to a fun night in the town, and so far it’s been quite lovely.” He chuckles softly, moving to press a handkerchief into Adam’s hands, just as he leans in to press a soft kiss to his lips. “Consider it my thanks.”

He grins, humming softly against his lips. “I do appreciate being told I have good ideas. Especially by such a handsome and smart man.” He leans in close and kisses him in return.

Pentious lets his eyes flutter closed to savor the kiss for a moment, to really feel the sensation of lips pressed against his own, before pulling back, smirking. “We should probably go stand in line. Wouldn’t want to get stuck in the back before the show starts, would we?”

"That would be a true horror." He wraps an arm around his back, pecking his cheek and gently walking back toward the road. "People as important as us, stuck at the back of the line? Despicable."

“Truly horrific.” He nods in agreement, letting his other hand move to take his own and give it a squeeze, only moving to let go when they approach the opening of the alley, taking one last look at the bottom of his shoes to determine if there was any blood on them, only to find that there wasn’t, and he slips out to walk along the sidewalk, toward the very back of the line.

Adam hums lightly, bobbing his head a little to the tune filtering through his mind, and happily notes that the people in the line have changed since they were last here. Good. No one would look at them funny. He glances at Pentious, the cane in his hand and the ever so dapper clothes he was wearing. He makes it look easy, being professional. Then again, so did Adam. In his own way.

For once in his life, he wants to toss professionalism aside and hold the man's hand again.

The time ticks by, and the line slowly shrinks, inch by inch, little by little, as the theater begins to fill up. Thankfully, no blood had gotten on the tickets, so when they were handed to the guard to look over, he didn’t even as so much as give either of them a second glance, instead, moving to guide them to their very own seats, which turned out to be surprisingly fancy: not only were they seats along the wall, away from the crowds of the more common seats below, but they also apparently came with the opportunity to dine while watching the performance. It was enough to get Pentious to snicker to himself as he moves to sit down in one of the provided seats, though it felt more like a throne, idly letting his thumb slide over the fabric, having already sent one of the staff members away to prepare their meals. “I don’t know what material this sort of chair is, but whatever it is, it’s quite lovely.”

Adam smirks, running a hand over the arm of his own chair. “Probably some sort of velvet. Rather expensive, in all honesty. Could be imported?” He leans over his arm, looking for any marks to indicate it’s from overseas. He shrugs after a moment and leans back, sighing. “Incredibly comfortable, though. Definitely right about that.”

“That Logan must’ve been quite the penny-pincher if he could afford tickets of  _ this _ magnitude.” He chuckles a touch under his breath, voice dipping down into a whisper. “Now I wish we  _ did _ take his wallet, just to see what kind of family he belonged to.”

“We could always go back and grab it, if no one’s found him.” He taps his fingers on the arms of the chair, then leans over toward Pentious. “Do you think they have bourbon here? I didn’t ask about drinks.”

“Hmmmm..” He glances around what he could see of the theater, clicking his tongue. “Perhaps. Wouldn’t be surprised.” His eyes flick toward Adam. “And I’d rather not go back to a crime scene in case anyone  _ did _ happen to see us walk out of the alley. Would seem strange to see us go back in and come right back out again.”

“No one expects someone to return to the scene of the crime, though. It’d be interesting.” He rests his chin on his palm, pouting almost. “We could always find a way down one of the roofs.”

He gives him a flat, unimpressed look at that. “You want  _ me _ to go  _ roof climbing _ .”

“Hm, you have a point.” He taps his chin. “ _ I _ could go roof climbing?”

“If you want to risk being seen all for the sake of nabbing some rich boy’s wallet, then go ahead.” He sighs and waves a hand almost dismissively. “It was mere speculation on my part.”

Adam chuckles, crossing one leg over the other. “And here I was wanting to impress you.”

“Darling, you already impress me.” He glances at him with his own cheeky smile. “What makes you think you need to show off for me?”

“Oh, you could consider it a personal goal of mine.” He raises a brow, smirk widening. “I can’t stand staying at the same bar for too long, you know.”

“Is that so?” He smirks right back, leaning his chin on his hand, leaning a touch closer. “How much of this whole thing are you planning, chuckaboo?”

“Oh, I can’t tell you that. It’d spoil the fun!” He chuckles.

The lights in the room dim, the stage up front illuminating as the curtain is drawn. A full orchestra fills the pit, a small handful of people in fancy dresses and suits filling the stage.

“Oh, interesting. A group of singers.” Adam tilts his head.

“Hmm...” He narrows his eyes a touch as he glances down toward the gathering orchestra, his nose wrinkling a bit. “..We didn’t check to see what kind of performance this was..”

“It can’t be that bad.” Adam shifts a little in his seat, switching his legs around. “Have you ever been to a theater in America? It’s amazing what they do with fiddles here-”

A crisp, clear note from the violins plays out, followed by subtle plucking from the cellos.

Pentious’s nose wrinkles further. “That doesn’t sound like a fiddle, dear. That sounds like the beginning of a soprano performance.”

Adam blinks and lets out a bit of a scoff, smirking. “Soprano? My handsome man, I’ve been in America far longer than you have, the whole of my life even, and I can tell you with  _ great _ certainty that  _ no one _ in America would  _ ever _ willingly go to a performance as incompetent and dull as an  _ opera _ -”

The singing of a woman greets both of their ears, loud and long and disturbingly high-pitched, with the kind of tone that is said to be able to break glass, the acoustics of the theater making it ring out in such a way that it makes their bones shudder, in the same way one feels the shakes right before they lose the contents of their stomach. Pentious feels his nose wrinkle in pure disdain, feels his cheeky and content mood immediately plummet down into simmering anger and irritation, and he lets his head drop towards his lap, rubbing over his face with a hand. “It’s  _ fucking _ opera. Of course it’s  _ opera _ , why wouldn’t it be? The one and only musical genre that makes me feel like my ears will burst out of my skull.”

Adam freezes, mouth still open mid word, and one of his eyes twitch. He lets his head fall back, exhaling heavily. “Isn’t that just lovely? We can leave, if you’d like.” He gives Pentious a quick look.

“..We already ordered our food though.” He sighs into his head, lifting his head up to glance at him. “I know that’s a flimsy excuse but I’m feeling quite hungry right now and I haven’t eaten all day, what with being on the road and such.”

“Of course.” He gives him a small smile. “We could always make fun of the singing in the meantime.  _ Horrid _ vibrato, if you ask me.”

“Oh yes, absolutely.” He chuckles a touch, leaning close to whisper to him. “I’m definitely burning this whole place to the ground after we’re done eating.”

Adam quickly stifles a laugh, managing to cover it with a small cough that still attracts a few eyes. He smirks and ignores them, raising a brow at Pentious. “And how do you plan on doing that?”

“I may or may not be carrying a certain explosive casing on me. Taped to the inside of my hat. Already filled with gunpowder and everything else it needs to really make a proper explosion.” He chuckles softly, raising a hand to adjust said hat.

His lips twist up in a sharper smile. “You really do prepare for almost everything, don’t you?”

“I would be a fool to do otherwise.” His own smile gains a more sharp tone to it as well, their eyes meeting. “Have it rigged so it will explode 30 minutes after I activate it. Plenty of time for us to get a nice and  _ proper _ view.”

“That sounds  _ excellent _ .” Adam’s grin widens and he props his elbow on the arm of his chair, eyes seeming to glimmer. “Now I simply can’t wait for dinner. I’ll be bouncing off the walls in my eagerness.”

“Heheh. Will you?” He smirks at him, eyes crinkling with warmth, but the sound of another obnoxious shriek from one of the many opera singers breaks the simmering sadistic whimsy the both of them were developing, and Pentious can’t help but snarl, growling to himself under his breath as he brings up his hands to clasp over his ears. “ _ Geh _ ...Now I wish I had  _ two _ bombs.”

“Not so loud, dear.” He smirks at little at his reaction. He doesn’t even flinch as the lead soprano belts into a higher octave. “In all honesty, I’ve heard worse. Church’s children choirs?  _ That’s _ torture.”

“Never been to church.” He shifts a little in his seat, leaning closer so they could whisper. “Parents were too preoccupied with working, and we were too preoccupied with being  _ dragged _ to work.”

“Your parents never took you to church?” Adam blinks at him. He knew the man had been forced to work at a factory, and that he had been injured as a result. He hadn’t heard much about his family, though. “I thought the English were even more strict than here in the States.”

“Try telling that to a middle-aged married couple who worked in a threading factory their whole lives because they could never get a job anywhere else, have never stepped foot out of their own home town, and ended up having two kids.” He rolls his eyes a touch at that. “They were workaholics, through and through, and to them, if God didn’t descend from Heaven to place food on their tables or money in their wallets, then there wasn’t any damn point in giving him so much as a glance.”

He can’t help but chuckle a little at that. “Wow. That sounds horrible. People stuck in their own ways never make good company, if you ask me. Were they agnos...?” He trails off as the words catch up to him, eyes narrowing. “ _ Two _ children? You have a sibling?”

“..Yes?” His eyes flick to him, and he raises a brow. “I thought you knew.”

“ _ No _ .” He leans closer to him, poking his arm. “You never told me you had siblings at all! And here I was thinking we were both only children.”

“Huh.” He frowns at that, brows furrowing. “I could’ve sworn that I had mentioned her at some point..” He shakes his head, then sighs. “Her name is Adeline, and as far as I know, she’s still over in England. Only two years older than me, in fact, and yes, before you say it, I was in fact the  _ younger _ sibling.” He gives him a bit of a look at that.

“No way.” He all but ignores the look, his grin curling on itself. “You’re the  _ little brother. _ Oh my goodness, that’s just adorable. And her name is Adeline? I’ll keep that in mind.”

He rolls his eyes a touch at that, but smirks. “You might recognize her work? I hear she’s actually getting quite a bit of notoriety back home for her paintings. She’s a bit of an artist, you see. Paintings, drawings, sketches, those types of things. She even taught  _ me _ how to sketch when I was in bed rest.”

“Really?” Adam stares at him, almost as if searching for some hint of a lie. Somehow his mind had assumed Pentious to have been a pure natural at every bit of his craft. “Adeline Brooke. I don’t believe I’ve heard the name, but we should look around at the next museum we see. Sometime we Americans import art from Europe to look at and all.”

“Hmmm. Maybe.” He tilts his head at the thought. “Haven’t seen her since I left England, which was about..2 years ago, actually.” He chuckles a touch. “How time flies when you’re having fun, I suppose.”

“Oh, definitely. Sometimes I forget it’s only been... six years since my father’s untimely death.” He chuckles a little, shaking his head. “Feels like it was just yesterday.”

“Ah, yes, that you’ve told me about.” He smirks at that, eyes narrowing a touch. “How gruesome his death was, hm?”

“Absolutely horrid thing that happened to him.” He’s teeth glint in the light of the place. “But, you know, everything happens for a reason and all that.”

A few servers begin weaving through the tables ahead of them with dishes, quietly and quickly handing out food and drinks.

“Ooh. That was quick.” Pentious chuckles a touch, leaning back into his seat, so as to not arouse suspicion. “What did you order, by the way?”

“The steak, as rare as possible.” He smirks a bit and shifts a touch more upright. “Comes with a side of mashed potatoes and greens.”

He chortles a touch at that, still smirking, crossing one leg over the other. “Would you believe me if I said I ordered the steak as well?”

He snorts ever so slightly, shaking his head. “We’re too similar in tastes, my dear.”

“Hey, I ordered mine well done, not  _ rare _ . Completely separate things, chuckaboo.”

Adam’s nose wrinkles. “Absolutely ruining the taste. Horrendous.”

A waiter approaches them with two silver trays covered in domes, glances at something written on one, and carefully places them in front of the correct attendee. He nods and whispers a quick good evening to them as he darts away to grab more food.

Pentious can’t help but chuckle at the sight of the domed plates, moving to remove his, a gust of steam quickly rising up and evaporating into the air as he does so. “I almost feel bad for Logan’s date. Sure, we did her the favor of making sure she never sees such a hideous performance, but at the same time, this food looks positively divine.”

Adam reveals his own plate to much the same theatrics, breathing in the vapors, and exhales, shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. “Mm. It  _ smells _ divine for sure.” He undoes his utensils, kept to the side, and swipes up a bit of mashed potatoes, quickly taking a bite. He hums, pleased.

“Heheh. Careful. Wouldn’t want to choke.” He undoes his own utensils and winces as yet another shrill note rings through the air, grumbling obscenities under his breath as he starts to cut up his food.

He chuckles at him, but says nothing, taking his time to cut his stake into slivers before continuing to eat. The poor man, forced to listen to opera for so long. Not that Adam wasn’t in the same boat, but he could at least manage to tune out the sound in favor of the savory bursts of flavor that explode across his tongue. “Mm....”

It took at least around 20 more minutes (judging by Adam’s watch) for both of their meals to be completely gone, and it was no sooner that the last bite was taken that Pentious moved to take off his hat, reaching down within it to start fiddling with no doubt must have been the bomb he had tucked away in there. He did it absentmindedly, idly, almost, his eyes kept fixed to the stage below while his hand tinkered and toyed with the explosive, and were it anyone else, Adam was sure that it would’ve somehow broken or gone off right then and there. But it was Pentious handling such deadly equipment, and it was all the reassurance he needed.

He watches him work for a few moments, then turning his gaze to the stage, a happy, satisfied look on his face. His elbows are propped on the table - bad manners, but the only person who would know after tonight is the man tinkering with a bomb. He lets his eyes close for a moment, the lower notes of the music coming to him more mellow and less flashy than the rest of the show so far. He exhales softly. “Oh, it’s going to be a while until we have food like that again, isn’t it?”

“Probably so, chuckaboo.” His own voice was similarly soft, almost distant, probably due to how much he was concentrating on his work. “..But I have a feeling it won’t be the last.”

“Mm, you can say that again. I’m  _ definitely _ ready to kill for service like this again.” His eyes flutter open again and he turns to glance at him, silently waiting for the okay for them to start heading out.

“Shhhh.” He raises a finger to his lips, and before long, there was a sharp click, one that only they could hear. Slowly, Pentious retracts his hand from his hat, moves to place it underneath his chair, and finally moves to stand up, gripping his cane tightly, feeling his knees shake a touch. He hears the grumbling of people around them, and mumbles so they can hear. “A thousand pardons.” He begins to slowly inch his way away from the seats.

Adam follows him closely, occasionally whispering apologies as they go, until they finally escape from the crowd and head back toward the front of the building. A few staff members nod to them in passing, wishing them goodnight.

It’s only when they step out onto the open air once more that Pentious lets a grin overtake his face, and he starts to chuckle to himself, a wicked, fiendish chuckle of absolute delight, just as a horrid grin moves to overtake his face, though he attempts to cover up both with a cough, looping his arm around Adam’s, tugging him away from the theater as they start walking, whispering as best as he can under his breath. “We have to watch. We have to stay and watch. Trust me, you’ll love it, it will be fantastic.”

“We do, do we?” He chuckles, letting him pull him closer and bringing his other hand up to rest on Pentious’ wrist. “There may be a roof with a good view of the place, if you’re willing to go to a few new heights.”

“If you’re willing to help pull me up there, then by all means.” He chuckles, scanning the area, head swiveling from left to right. “See any buildings that are easy to climb?”

"Hmm..." He looks around, then points to a modestly sized building with plenty of windows and a signed advertising  _ Jennings Sew and Supply.  _ "Flagstones and bricks. Perfect."

“Wonderful. Now come on, make haste,  _ make haste _ !” He chuckles again, giving his arm a few impatient tugs, even though he himself really can’t move any faster than an awkward hobble.

"Okay, okay! Haha!" Adam snickers, following him, stumbling a little at the tugs. "You can hold onto my back for a little while, right? I'm surprisingly skilled at climbing tall objects, so it shouldn't be long, but I know heights aren't everyone's favorite thing."

“Of course I can, chuckaboo! What kind of a master inventor would I be if I was afraid of heights?” He seems to chortle a bit louder at that, as if the whole idea amused him.

He laughs openly at that, unable to hold back the wide, beaming grin from his antics, and leads him around the building to some of the lesser well lit windows. He kneels down a bit for him. "Okay, okay. Get on my back. This should be easy."

“Right, right. Apologies in advance if I end up choking you.” He hooks his cane around his arm before wrapping his arms around Adam’s shoulders, and the man can feel Pentious’s legs weakly rise upwards to squeeze against the sides of his waist. “Like this?”

"Perfect!" He eases up, making a few adjustments so his shoulders can move a bit more freely. He hops a little in place to get used to the added weight. "Feel free to choke as much as you have to. I'd rather you be clinging for dear life than slipping." He walks up to the wall, reaching to grab the top of a window, and pulls himself up onto the window sill.

“Woah!” His grip around his shoulders tightens a bit as Adam moves to start climbing up onto the sill, but he lets out a chuckle against the back of his neck. “Try to not let anyone see us, dear.”

"I'll be fast, I promise. And try not to look down." He pats along the wall, finding a divet where the mortar had worn out, and searches with a leg for any kind of traction, finding it, he leverages himself further up. He finds a brick that wasn't laid properly and repeats the process, grunting slightly as he pulls himself upward.

“Alright. Heheheh. I think this might be the most physically active I’ve been in a while. And I’m not even doing most of the work.” He nuzzles against his shoulder, softly. “Am I heavy?”

He shivers ever so slightly at the touch and pulls himself up to the second story window to catch his breath. "You? Heavy? Not really. I mean, you're less weight than I am, I think. Not much muscle on you. I've carried more." He heaves them up another few inches.

“Heh. Dare I say I take that for a compliment?” He chuckles a touch, but shivers as a cold wind blows by, tightening his grip a touch.

"I believe you dare to do many things and that is one of the more tame items on the list." He chuckles, patting around for a proper brick to hold onto.

He chuckles right back, softly, his grip on his waist tightening a bit more as well. “Mm. I can’t wait for the explosion. I’ve never actually seen one this up close before. The first time I made a building blow up, I was far away to only see the barest light of flames. This, chuckaboo...This will be a  _ new _ feeling.”

"I'm quite eager myself. The closest thing to an explosion I've seen have been cannonballs taking out houses. This-" He pulls them up to a third story window and takes a small moment to breathe. "This will be interesting. I hope you enjoy it as much as I will."

“Hehe..” His lips almost come close to brushing his ear. “Did I ever tell you about which building I blew up, my dear?”

Adam swallows, shivering, though another gust of wind comes by that he can blame it on. "No, I don't believe you ever did." He starts moving again, climbing the last few feet toward the flat roof.

“Heheh...It was this nice little tailor factory. Ricket’s Wares. Ran by this bull-headed halfwit of a man by the name of Charles Ricket, hence the name. He was my boss, as a boy.” He chuckles again, softly. “He was the one responsible for the accident, you see. Told me to climb up that balcony, no matter how many times I told him that it wasn’t safe.” Adam can feel the sensation of Pentious’s lips curl up against the back of his neck. “I heard he burned down in that fire. Right in the middle of it. Screaming all the while.” This time his lips do press against Adam’s ear. “...As did my own parents.”

He can hear the reverie in his voice, the soft way he offers the information, and he feels goosebumps trail over his skin as his arms pull them to the top of the roof. When those lips press against his ear, he can't help but shudder, letting out a small breath, and then carefully pulls them over the ledge and onto safety. He carries Pentious a few feet further before kneeling down again to let him off his back. "Sounds like poetic justice. Your parents died working at the jobs they all but worshipped."

“Hehehe, oh it absolutely was. Of course, I went ahead and ordered the crew to chuck that bomb into the factory on the day when they were the most busy. They always become the most busy on Saturdays.” His legs wobble a touch as they resteady themselves, and Pentious moves to stand by Adam’s side, an arm still looped around his shoulders. “I laughed that day. I laughed and laughed and felt a massive weight leave my shoulders.”

"I felt something similar when I killed my father." His hands absently drift to Pentious's waist. "There's a sort of relief to be felt in knowing your parents are dead - even more so knowing you were the one to do it." He presses his nose to his temple, nuzzling slightly. "It's quite the adrenaline rush."

“Mmm..” He leans into the touch against his waist, leans into the warmth of Adam’s skin, chuckling softly. “Indeed. I never went about it by my own hand, of course. But at the same time...knowing that they died in the metal walls of that factory, next to the man that crippled my body...Such sweetness is life sometimes.”

"I'd consider it the achievement of a lifetime, but of course you wouldn't be satisfied with that." He smirks and kisses his forehead, leading him toward the edge of the roof looking toward the theater.

“Mm. You know I wouldn’t.” He chuckles softly, but as they reach the edge, he moves to give Adam’s arm a soft tug. “Do you mind if we sit down behind the edge? I don’t exactly trust my limbs to catch me somehow if I slip.”

"Of course." He grins at him and carefully moves to sit behind the ledge, offering his hands to help Pentious if he needs them.

Pentious sighs slightly as he too moves to sit down, his legs folding together and moving to the side, his arm sliding over Adam’s back to curl around his side. He rests his temple on the man’s shoulder, taking a deep breath, and then letting it out. “..Never thought I’d be doing this with you. Or with anyone, for that matter.”

"What? Blowing up a theater full of snobbish, upperclass folk because of their poor taste in music? Or scaling a three story building to watch the fireworks? Or is it the cuddling behind a roof ledge with a serial killer who enjoys doing the previously explained things?" His grin widens as he watches him, and he kisses the top of his head.

“Heheh...All three, most definitely.” He pulls back to glance at him, letting his other hand come up to cup his cheek. “Did you ever expect any of this to happen to  _ you _ , my dear?”

"First off, the world doesn't happen to me,  _ I _ happen to the world. Secondly-" He leans into the touch, humming at the warmth of his hands and watching the softness in his gaze. "Nope. Not at all. In a lot of ways, I'm surprised I'm still alive and made it so far." He brings a hand up to hold his hand, pressing a kiss to his palm. "I couldn't have asked for a better wrench in my plans, though. Wouldn't change a thing about it even if I could."

A blush slowly rises to his cheeks because of that, and Pentious can’t help but let himself laugh, a soft giggle that has him hunch his shoulders ever so slightly, and he looks back up at him, a tender look in his gaze. “You have such a way with words, my dear. Absolutely beautiful.” He leans forwards, softly, and their lips slowly press together in a tender kiss.

"Thank you! I try my- Hmm. Mm...." He grins against his lips, shivering and relaxing against him, one of his hands coming up to stroke his cheek.

Pentious feels himself shiver at the feeling of the hand on his cheek, and he tries to not giggle at the sound of Adam’s voice being cut off, already feeling his shoulders shake as he tries to get his laugh under control, letting his eyes softly flutter shut, just to savor the feeling. His other hand softly starts to rub over Adam’s back, carefully.

He leans closer into him, letting his hands move into his hair, thumb stroking his cheek, pressing a bit tighter to deepen the kiss ever so slightly. "Mmm..."

He feels the kiss deepen in it’s intensity ever so slightly, feels the hum of Adam’s voice against his lips, and he can’t help but shudder at the feeling of fingers sliding through his hair, gentle and soft, and he slowly leans into the embrace, shuffling closer, tilting his head into the kiss. The feeling of their lips sliding together sends a soft warmth trailing through his bones, and he lets himself shiver, mirth fading, replaced by gentle desire. “Mm..”

Adam brings a hand down his shoulder and over his chest, gripping a lapel on his suit jacket. He nips at Pentious’ lip and starts sliding his tongue out of his mouth. He feels the soft pinch of teeth against his lip, a light flare of pain that bloomed over his skin and made his spine tingle, feels the sensation of a hand gripping the front of his shirt, and he can’t help but shudder, cheeks starting to flush harder as he feels Adam’s tongue slide over his lip. “Mmph~..” he wraps both his arms around Adam’s sides to tug him even closer, letting his mouth open, his entire frame shivering as their tongues meet, able to taste the savory, almost  _ bloody _ flavor of the rare steak that Adam had eaten. The taste definitely suited him.

Adam pulls him a little closer, almost on his lap, pressing his tongue into his mouth ever so gently, taking his time with it, not at all in a rush. He runs his hand under his jacket and over his dress shirt, humming again. “Mm~....”

Pentious can’t help but shudder at the feeling of that hand, so close to his skin, letting his own fingers start to trail up and down the man’s spine, feeling his frame start to tremble with warmth, groaning softly at the feeling of Adam’s tongue sliding against his own, leaning forward in hopes of pressing the kiss even deeper. “Mmmm..”

He shivers, feeling their chests press against each other, some of Pentious’ hair falling over his face. He suckles his tongue, holding his chin again and running his thumb over his cheek.

It was only then that they heard the explosion, rumbling, loud, accompanied with a flare of fire and flames that was so bright that it actually caused them to wince, breaking the kiss as their heads snap toward the direction of the theater, watching as a massive billowing cloud of smoke and fire raised high into the air, the screams of the people on the streets ringing out not soon after, stampedes of people running through the streets in droves. The theater itself was already almost completely engulfed, the roof practically drenched in the roaring pyre while the walls were quickly becoming consumed, and the sounds of glass breaking and people shrieking in horror ringing through the air that only sets the tone of destruction even further. 

Pentious stares at the massive glow of the inferno, the heat so bright and luminous that he could feel it on his face, and he couldn’t help but let his lips curl up in a soft, sadistic grin, smirking softly, feeling a soft shiver slide down his spine. “...Absolutely magnificent. Don’t you agree?”

Adam lifts himself up a little, craning his head over the edge of the building and staring as plumes of smoke and flame wrap around the building, consuming everything in its wake and trapping everyone within its gaping maw. Any second now he’s going to smell burnt flesh and realize that maybe he’s still a little hungry. A chuckle escapes him at the display of destruction, at the screams reaching his ears. “Perhaps the most wonderful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. Aside from you, of course.”

“Heheh. I could say the same thing about you.” He presses a soft kiss to his cheek at that, but returns his gaze back to the explosion, chuckling softly as he watches. “Think they’ll be any survivors?”

He doesn’t turn at the kiss, though his eyes flicker to him, and he scans over the building. “Maybe a few. We weren’t in the middle of the building, after all. But that is  _ quite _ the fire you have there.” He stretches his neck, brow raising. “Are you sure you haven’t reinvented Greek fire, my friend? It surely is spreading mighty quick.”

“It’s a theater made of  _ wood _ , my dear. And with an explosion that large, there’s no doubt that everything will catch ablaze.” He chuckles softly, smirking, even as he shifts to press a touch closer into Adam’s lap. “Not to mention gas lamps. And extremely flammable cloth from the dresses of performers.”

“Fair enough. Although, wouldn’t that mean there’d be more explosions? Or did the lamps trigger already?” He glances at him as he presses closer, smirking and looking back at the flames even as his hands move to hold Pentious’ hips. “Either way, I can tell that you really know how to put on quite the display.”

“Heheh. Of course. What kind of piss poor sense of style would I have if I didn’t know how to put on a proper performance?” He chuckles softly, shivering idly at the feeling of hands against his waist. “Especially a performance for one as important as you, my dear?”

“Oh, are we at the point where we shoot compliments back and forth at each other? How cute.” He kisses his cheek, returning it from earlier. There’s another rumble and bang, followed by more screaming, and the theater heaves and leans toward one side. “And that must’ve been the gas.” Adam looks down at the street, seeing a small crowd gathering, a few people running off in the direction of the coppers. “Mm, we should probably get moving. The crowd will give us cover to scale the wall again.”

“Mmm..” He seems to grumble a touch at the thought of moving again, his arms tightening around his sides, but after a moment, he sighs and nods. “Yes, yes, I suppose. Best to not let anyone see us and whatnot.”

“I could offer using the stairs, but something tells me you’d be less happy about that.” He smirks and pecks his lips, then loops his arms under his legs and pushes himself up, holding Pentious in his arms. He grins widely at him and kisses him again. “Mm, never would have thought I’d be the man to scale any building for another man.”

“ _ Ah- _ !” Pentious can’t help but let out a soft yelp when he finds himself being lifted off the ground and into Adam’s arms, feeling himself flush even harder, both at the circumstance, as well as the teasing kiss, and he feels himself shiver, his composure breaking enough to let him try to stifle his chuckling, narrowing his eyes in a playful glare. “I get the feeling you’re doing this on purpose.”

“Oh, what would ever give you such a silly idea?” His grin widens and he pulls Pentious a little higher on his waist, pecking him again.

He flushes even more at the kiss, sputtering for a moment, feeling his cheeks growing redder, shoulders hunching a touch. “B-Because of that! That right there! I know you! You never pass up a chance to tease me and you know it!”

“Maybe I just like looking at you from this angle.” He smirks, staring up into round, dark eyes and long, flowing hair.

His cheeks flush even harder, and he huffs for a moment before giving him a light swat on the shoulder. “Just get me down from here you lovesick gigglemug.”

“Okay, okay.” He chuckles, carefully setting him down. “Let me see if there’s an easier wall to climb down, and then you can get on my back again.”

Pentious can’t help but let his own smile cross his face, though he glances toward the explosion to mask it’ intent, watching as a crowd of people were starting to gather, watching as the theater was starting to crumble, windows shattering and wooden beams splintering and creaking. The screaming had yet to die down.

Adam hurriedly moves about the roof, scanning each of the walls, and then waves him over to the back of the building. “There’s a hay bale back here. Should be easier stepping off.”

“Oh Lord. You aren’t going to  _ jump _ off the wall, are you?” He moves to walk over to the edge of the back of the building, glancing down to see that there was indeed a large bale of hay down on the ground.

“I may be a little insane, but I can tell a deadly height when I see it.” He glances down again. “There are more cracks in the wall too. Should be easier to climb as well.”

“Alright...If you say so.” He grimaces a touch at what looks to be a steep drop, placing a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “I trust you.”

“It may be a bit awkward getting started...” He slings a leg over the edge of the roof, letting Pentious get a hold of his shoulders. “You’re going to want to hold a bit tighter this time around.”

“Right, right..” He moves into the same position that he was in last time, his legs clenching around Adam’s waist, head nuzzling against the back of his neck. Somehow Adam can just tell that his eyes are closed. “..I’m ready.”

“Okay....” He slowly turns around, shimmying off the ledge and holding their weight with just his hands as his feet feel around for any amount of friction. “You know... I’ve had to scale portions... of the Appalachian Mountains before.”

“Is..Is that so?” Pentious adjusts his grip ever so slightly, but still manages to sound relatively steady in his voice. “What’s a man like you doing climbing those?”

“War!” He chuckles a little, lowering a few inches. “Difficult terrain and all. Easy to move men, not easy to move... horses.” His foot reaches for a window sill. “It’s also quite the place to lose people.”

“Really now?” There was a bit of a chuckle on Pentious’s end. “Don’t tell me. Did you have to eat someone to survive? Did you make like the Donner Party and strip bodies of their flesh and drink their blood?”

“No, actually. This was pre-cannibalism.” He glances at either side of the window, then shimmies across and starts lowering himself down again. “I was... working messaging routes. You know how people say ‘ _ Don’t kill the messenger? _ ’ I was the messenger.”

“Oh, so you only started eating people  _ after _ the War, hm? Why’s that?”

“I’ve told you. I got bored.” His foot slips out of the crevice he had found and he tightens his hands, going still before continuing to work his way down. “And it’s not like I  _ immediately _ jumped into cannibalism.”

“Heheh. I suppose that’s fair.” He chuckles a touch, though Adam can feel Pentious’s frame tense around him at the sudden slip. “..Did I ever tell you I once tried to enter the invention business?”

“What? Like...” His foot reaches the top of the next windowsill. “Patents and all that? Selling in market?”

“Exactly. Creating my own inventions to sell them to people willing to take them and give them out to the public.” He chuckles again. “Oh, I was so naive back then. So foolish. I thought I actually could’ve made it out there. Maybe if I hadn’t wasted my time with them, I would’ve gotten to this point in my life sooner.”

“And miss meeting me? Ah! I’m almost hurt.” He laughs. “Can’t blame you, though. Well. Actually, if you had tried in the United States first, it might have worked. At least with the weapons. If you had come by during the War... Well, I’m certain someone would have taken you up on your offer.”

“Oh, I’m sure they would have.” He then shrugs a touch, nuzzling the back of his neck. “But I don’t think that matters now. After all, I much prefer life like this anyways. With you, most of all.”

“I always thought romance and all that would be ridiculously -  _ domestic _ .” He inches down further on the wall. “But with you, we’re travailing the countryside, knocking trains off their tracks, and encouraging each other’s illegal behaviors, like murder and theft and blowing up houses.” He glances down at the hay bale. “Wouldn’t change a thing in the world.”

“Heheh..Me either, chuckaboo.” He presses a soft kiss to the back of his neck, humming softly. “...Hey. Want to know what that word means?”

“Sure, since you all make fun of me so much for not knowing your silly little British words that sound ridiculous.” He makes it to the first floor window and carefully moves onto the hay bale. “Almost to the ground, dear.”

“Heh. Fair enough.” He goes quiet for a moment, simply nuzzling him. “..It’s supposed to be a phrase for dearest, closest friends. But more often than not, I’ve also heard it being used a pet name for a lover.”

“Lover?” Adam tries glancing at him over his shoulder, then hops off the bale. “All this time you’ve been calling me your lover?” He recalls how he’s been laughing and talking about giggling and watching as the others only laughed at him for wanting to know what it all meant, and he can’t help but let out a laugh of his own.

“Heheh...Yes, perhaps I have been.” He slowly lets his legs move away from Adam’s hips, taking his cane and pressing it to the ground to keep himself steady, chuckling as he presses a kiss to his cheek. “Consider me a bit lovestruck, is all.”

He flushes at the kiss, at the gentleness and fondness put into it. He’s still laughing, quietly, and impulsively kisses his cheek in return. “Lovestruck. Mm. Quite the word.”

“Now, gigglemug, on the other hand..” He flashes a more cheeky grin. “ _ That _ is about your tendency to laugh. It literally means “a person who smiles a lot.”

He beams at that, pearly teeth gleaming in the half light, and even hops a little on his toes. “Haha! Now that I like quite a bit. Not that I don’t like chuckaboo, of course. But smiles  _ are _ my thing.” He leans in a little closer. “And, you know what? I have a good idea of what would get a smile on your face.”

“..Oh?” He raises a brow, even though he feels himself flush a touch from how closely Adam was getting to his own face. Despite that, he lets his arms come up to wrap around his shoulders. “What is that?”

“It  _ may _ involve a bit of running, on my part.” Adam gets a look on his face like he’s holding back laughter. “I think I saw a park somewhere near here while we were up on the roof. Comfortable place to watch, I’d say.”

“Mm, yes. Very comfortable indeed.” He steps back a touch to loop his arm around Adam’s own. “Shall we, my dear?”

•••

Adam spins about on his heel, looking at the trees and shrubbery surrounding them. He could still see the streets and buildings, and the burning theater was still in the background, a growing flame now surrounded by steam pump fire engines sending puny streams of water into the inferno. Some people were approaching the park and hurrying along the streets to head home. There were even a few people who seemed to be heading  _ toward _ the fire. Maybe the explosion had woken up more people in the city. He puts his hands on his hips, beaming.

“It’s perfect.”

“Heheh. Is it now?” Pentious himself was currently sitting on a bench in front of him, one elbow perched on the arm of the furniture while another clutched at his cane in his lap. He was smirking softly, almost smugly, looking amused, to say the least. “Perfect for what?”

“For you to watch as I do something  _ incredibly _ ridiculous!” He springs a finger up, watching the streets. “Potentially and feasibly  _ stupid _ .”

“Potentially?” He raises a brow further, smirking at his own little joke.

He opens his mouth, then pauses, his lips curling further, and he bites his tongue, desperately holding back a laugh. “Okay, it’s  _ definitely _ something stupid, but you’ll love it, I swear.”

“If it’s something that leads to you getting caught by the police, I’m leaving you in jail for the night.”

“I wouldn’t expect any less.” He finally lets out his laugh, letting it lace through his words, and he takes Pentious’ hand, bringing it up to his lips and pressing his lips against his knuckles. “Now, stay here. I’ll be in view the entire time. All you have to do is watch.”

Pentious feels himself flush a touch at the kiss, but shakes his head, smirking softly. “Whatever you say, chuckaboo.”

“Great!” He pops upright, squeezing his hand before letting it slide out of his grip. He steps back. “Now, stay here. I’ll be - just stay here.” He takes a few more steps, then nods, and starts hurrying back toward the street, a skip in his step.

Pentious can’t help but shake his head, laughing softly to himself as he watches him go. “What is that man up to now..?”

Adam makes his way to the street, just barely recognizable under the streetlights, and starts calmly walking against the traffic. He passes a couple, then a woman, then two men, and all of a sudden strikes out at a man, swooping a top hat from his head and running down the street. A shout comes from the man, half startled and half indignant, and he starts chasing after Adam. A short peal of laughter drifts into the air, and then a whistle as the man flags a cop. Adam twists around, still running down the sidewalk, spots the cop, and then twists around and starts booking it, following the sidewalk wrapping around the park.

“Catch me if you can, you ratty little gumshoe! I’m on a roll!”

Pentious’s jaw drops at the entire display, and for a moment, he simply sits there, completely and utterly gobsmacked at this flagrant and obscenely conspicuous act of petty thievery, unfolding right before his eyes. After a moment, the shock fades, and Pentious feels a wheeze of mirth rumble in his throat as he tilts his head back, and starts to laugh, putting a hand to his face as he starts laughing harder than he’s laughed in that week.

The cop blows his whistle a few times before spitting it out. “Hey! Stop right there!”

Adam laughs again and makes a sharp turn into the park, following the trail and gaining a steady lead, not enough for the cop to immediately find it a lost cause, but enough to be noticeable to anyone watching. He turns off the trail and hops over a shrubbery, both legs easily clearing it like some oversized, two legged, woodland animal on its home turf. The officer curses and moves around it, losing more ground as Adam speeds through the miniature, man made forest.

The sound of the cop’s whistle was enough to make Pentious try to stifle his laughter, shaking with mirth, tears practically welling up in his eyes, forcing himself to watch just so he makes sure Adam doesn’t get tackled to the ground. He catches sight of the man, the crazy, beautiful,  _ wonderful _ man, leaping over a bunch of bushes, and comes very close to losing it all over again, wheezing even louder.

Adam waves the hat over his head, hooting and hollering. Some animal shoots past his feet and he trips, tumbling before popping back up again, looking back at the officer and laughing again before speeding off again. He curves around, running between the trees as the officer chases after him, shouting and starting to slow down. It takes several seconds worth of coughing for Pentious to get himself to calm down long enough to take a breath, still shaking from mirth, still giggling as he watches the cop finally look ready to give up, able to see his figure hunched over as he fought to catch his breath. He cranes his neck in an effort to catch sight of Adam, but he almost seemed to have disappeared into the brush entirely. He narrows his eyes, a grin having formed on his face, still feeling the beginnings of a chuckle making his chest shudder.

The park goes quiet after a moment, the officer huffing and slowly straightening, starting to fiddle with a lantern attached to his side. Light floods around him, but Adam is nowhere to be seen. The light swings this way and that, illuminating a comically small portion of the park around him. After a solid few minutes, there’s some rustling in the shrubbery behind Pentious’ bench.

A head pops up next to him, a sharp smile filling most of the face. “Heya!”

Pentious hears the rustling, sees the shifting of the bushes leaves, and just as Adam’s head comes popping out of the brush, Pentious moves to shove it back down with a hand, still giggling through his words. “Shhh! He’s still looking for you, you halfwit!”

Adam splutters, giggling as the man forces him back behind the bench. “Pff- heheh!” He lowers his voice to just above a whisper. “I came by to give you the top hat. I’m thinking I could kill the man, easy.”

“W-What?” He glances over his shoulder toward the cop who was still waving around his lantern, keeping his voice low, whispering furiously. “The mutton shunter?  _ Here _ ? We’re practically in public!”

“I mean, it was just an idea.” He smirks at him. “I actually have a tendency to do most of my kills in public areas under the light of the new moon, you know. It’s honestly the exact opposite of what people expect.”

“Are you  _ sure _ ?” He glances all around him again, and though there wasn’t anyone around the immediate vicinity, he couldn’t help but feel a tad nervous anyways.

“Please, it’ll be easy.” Adam peeks around him to glance at the officer, who continues to trudge through the park without an idea of where to go. “Besides, we’re leaving first thing tomorrow, right? No way anyone’d be able to find and trace a body back to us before we’re far out of the city.”

“..Hmmm...” He finally pulls his hand away, starting to smirk a touch. “Make him bleed, darling.”

“With pleasure.” He kisses his cheek, pushing a black satin top hat with a red ribbon on top of his head and over his eyes as he darts off, vanishing back into the shrubs and trees.

“Gah-!” He fumbles to push the hat back off, where it tumbles into his lap, and for a moment, he simply stares at it, before he finally lets out a soft chuckle, and moves to place it over his head. “Ooh, the poor bastard who was wearing  _ this _ better not come back to get it.”

There’s another few moments of silence in the park, the officer starting to give up hope of finding Adam and that precious hat ever again. And then, behind the officer, barely even moving, is the silhouette of the criminal. Adam inches closer every time the officer swings his lantern, covering his own footsteps in the creaks and small mutterings coming from the man. Pentious sees that shadow, sees the way Adam creeps closer, closer to the frustrated cop, already seeing the flash of that knife in his palm, and something in his chest shudders, his entire frame growing taut, his muscles pulling tight like a bowstring ready to snap. He cranes his neck desperately, hopefully, not even wanting to miss a second of this man and his masterful carnage. Adam slinks closer, raising the knife, and lunges forward, wrapping an arm around the man’s throat and quickly and efficiently slices into his ribs and stomach. The lantern falls out of his grasps, sputtering out, and their silhouettes becoming harder to distinguish, though he makes out a bit of a struggle before the man falls to the ground.

Pentious sees the flash of the blade, sees it plunge down, sees the spurt of blood and viscera as scarlet flies through the air in thick, luminous drops, but as the lantern falls, it’s glass casing cracking open to extinguish the flames, he feels both exhilaration and disappointment crash into each other within his chest, and he feels his entire frame shudder. He bites his lip, ever so slightly, before slowly rising to his feet, gently taking the hat back off and tucking it within his arm, slowly starting to walk his way over to the general area of where he saw the flames go out. He needed to see it. He  _ wanted _ to see it.

The closer he gets, the more he notices the cop is still kicking, literally, trying to get Adam off his back where he was pressing the man’s face into the ground, dirt and sheer force muffling the man’s shouts. Both of his hands are on the man’s head, like he‘s trying to suffocate the man, or prolong the struggle until he bleeds out. Pentious doesn’t stop walking until he’s inches away from the both of them, his eyes flicking up toward Adam’s face, and even though the light of the lantern has been extinguished, he’s still able to see the way his smile widens, the way his teeth almost seem to  _ sharpen _ with how much they gleam, and even though Adam isn’t even as so much as glancing at him, he can still imagine the pure sadistic whimsy, the  _ hunger _ that was burning inside his eyes, and he feels his blood  _ shudder _ , a soft gust of breath leaving his lips, in the form of a shaky exhale.

Somehow, he hears the exhale, head snapping up to stare at him, hands tightening around the man’s skull and pressing harder into the ground. The officer’s hands curl into the grass, his legs slowly weakening. Adam smirks at Pentious. “This is a bit tame, of course. But I’d rather not spoil my clothes.”

“...Remind me one day to let you pick out a prisoner then.” He feels himself shiver at the smirk. “See if you can give me the full step-by-step process.”

“Of course! I was already considering it. It’s been a while, you know.” He looks down at the officer as he starts to go limp, but doesn’t let up on the pressure. He looks back to Pentious. “The one was surprisingly easy, you know. Usually cops give me more trouble.”

“Really now?” He can’t help but walk a touch closer, chuckling a bit at such confidence. “Well, he must have been a new one then. Clearly didn’t see you very well.”

“It was very easy to avoid him, but I do know a thing or two about hiding in plain sight.” He presses down on the cop, watches him for a moment, and then stands up, brushing his hands off and sprucing his hair. “I kinda feel like leaving him out in the open.”

“Heheh..Do you?” Pentious can’t help but walk up to him to help adjust his hair, curling a strand over his ear, letting his fingers slide down his cheek for a moment. “Can’t wait to hear about it in the paper then.” His hand leaves his cheek to rest against his chest, and the darkness almost seems to surround them for a moment. Pentious leans up to press his lips to Adam’s own, a soft kiss, but one of that of lingering hunger, passionate, but it ends before it can truly sink in, Pentious’s voice already sounding a bit breathless. “We...We should probably leave..”

Adam shivers, almost taken by surprise at the kiss, the subtle intensity to it, and his lips momentarily follow Pentious’s as the kiss breaks. Another shiver courses down his spine at the sound of his voice. “Y-yeah. The hotel? Or...?”

“Mmm...What do you think? Think we can make it all the way there?” Another soft, passionate kiss, more of a peck than anything. “Or do you think we’ll need to..improvise?”

He shivers again, shifting closer toward him and holding himself back from kissing him back. “I don’t know. It certainly is quite the ways away...” He dips close, letting their noses touch. “Do you have that handkerchief on you, by the way? I seem to have gotten some blood on my hand.”

“Mm.” He hums a touch, and before long, Adam feels the cloth of the handkerchief slide into his hands. “Maybe..Maybe we can find some place, perhaps...Another inn..A darker section of the city..” He shudders a touch, their lips so close that he could feel Adam’s breath. “..Maybe even an alley..”

A blush takes over his face at the idea, and he takes the handkerchief and starts rubbing the blood off his fingers and from his nails. "I think I'd prefer an inn. Though I'm not sure where to look for one, in all honesty...."

“Mm...I don't know if I can wait that long, chuckaboo..” His arms slowly move to wrap around Adam’s shoulders, and Pentious’s lips come back in to press another kiss to his lips, just as passionate, just as hungry, lingering against his mouth, slow in it’s intensity, yearning.

"Mm..." Adam tightens his grip on the handkerchief, kissing back softly, feeling his face heat up the longer the kiss goes on, but not wanting to part for even the slightest moment. He pulls himself back, breathing a bit heavier. "Let's at least get moving away from the body, why don't we?" He glances back at the cop, then stoops down to reclaim his knife, wiping it free of blood.

“Mm..Right, right.” He moves away to put the stolen top hat back onto his head, moving to wrap his arm around Adam’s own as soon as the knife is tucked away. “Lead the way, dear.”

He chuckles, pressing a kiss to his temple before starting to walk, keeping him close to his side. "Should we try and stay closer to the hotel? There may be others on the way there."

“Mm..Maybe, maybe...I’d rather not waste money buying another room though..” He shivers at the kiss, biting his lip a touch. “Can’t afford to leave more than one documented footprint in the city. Otherwise it gets easier to track.”

"We could break in somewhere?" Adam darts his eyes around, trying to scout out likely places they could hide in for the moment. His mind comes up blank, likely because he had never been in a situation like this before. Shops were empty at this hour, right? Or did people also live in the floor above their shops in this city?

“This part of the city is too crowded. Too industrial. Not likely for there to be any empty buildings around. And I’d rather not break into a shop when someone’s house is right above it.” His hand momentarily squeezes down on his arm. “..An alley might be our best bet..As long as we make sure to stay quiet..”

"Staying quiet is one of my worries..." He can't help the shiver tracing his spine at the thought, though. Something about the mental image, either of them against a wall, hidden in shadows, denying themselves moans.... He stops himself from thinking further as they exit the park, heading toward a quieter street.

“Just keep an eye out for a space that looks deep enough, dear.” Pentious’s cheeks were visibly flushed, now that they entered back into the light of the city, and his whole frame had a sort of tenseness to it that he only knew from long nights spent together, a sign Adam knew as desire. His eyes were scanning left and right, left and right, desperate to locate a place that they could feasibly use.

He pulls him closer by the waist, eyes flicking over alleys and feeling his face flush as the plan really sinks into him. Hiding sex from the rest of the crew by hiding in the same room is one thing. Hiding it from arguably an entire city under the stars and a dead moon is something completely different. He'd be lying if said he was  _ only _ nervous, though. He slows down as they pass another alley. "How about this one?"

Pentious moves to glance it over, the alley looking quite dark, hidden, tucked away where not many would see, taking a moment to glance at the walls and pavement to see if it was at all wet from rain or some such, not wanting to stain his clothes, before nodding softly. “Good enough.” He moves to walk towards it, eyes glancing left and right to ensure that no one was around, that no one was watching, before slipping past the entrance, into the darkness, his heart idly thudding away in his chest.

Adam follows him, not entirely sure what to expect next. They slip out of the light shortly, making it into a thicker darkness before long. He squeezes Pentious's hand and brings his knuckles up to his lips. The soft brush of Adam’s lips against his knuckles is enough to have Pentious shudder, enough to have a trail of warmth slide down his spine, and within moments, he presses his hands to the man’s chest to push him up against the closest wall, leaning in to press a tight, firm kiss to his lip, passionate and warm, a hand curling around his shoulder while another desperately clutches against his shirt, eyes closing to savor the sensation, swearing he could almost  _ taste _ the metallic tang of blood upon his lips.

"Mmph!" Adam doesn't respond for a moment, taking stock of Pentious all but throwing him into a wall and, much more importantly, pressing their bodies together and almost tugging at his shirt. He shivers, feeling his flush take over more of his face, and brings his hands to Pentious's shoulders as he kisses him in return. He flicks his eyes to the front of the alleyway, seeing no one on the street.

“Mm~..” Pentious groans back, quietly, the hand clutching his shirt slowly losing it’s grip to slide up and down his chest, his stomach, all the while he presses closer, hips already touching, tilting his head to deepen the kiss, to take in the sensation of their lips sliding together, already feeling a tingle of warmth and desire flood down his spine.

Adam shivers at the sound, at the possibility that someone else could hear it despite knowing no one else was around. He pulls Pentious's lip into his mouth, nibbling, and squeezes his hands around his shoulders, moving his fingers over his neck and into his hair. One of his hands moves down to his waist, holding him against him and shivering at the contact. At any moment, someone could come by and see them, and for some reason the idea only made him feel hotter. "Mmph~" He tightens his fingers in his hair, tilting his head back and pressing their lips tighter together, rolling his hips against him and taking a small step forward, holding him tight against his body.

“Mmmph~!” This time it was Pentious’s turn to moan into the embrace, his back  _ arching _ into the feeling of his hips being pulled against Adam’s own, his hands quivering and only tightening their grip the moment he feels Adam’s hand slide into his hair, gripping it tight, pulling it, and the sensation of his head being tipped backwards was enough to make his spine quiver, his hands desperately sliding around his back to clutch the fabric of Adam’s shirt. “Mmm! Mmmm~..”

He turns them around, pressing Pentious into the wall and grinding his hips against him, pulling his lips away to peck along his chin and down his throat. "Mm, so loud..." He runs his hands under his jacket, squeezing his sides, and nips harder just under his jaw, shuddering at the needy sounds he draws out.

“Hnn~..Nngh~..” Pentious feels himself shudder at the sensation of those lips sliding down his neck, the soft sting of his teeth nipping away at his jaw, and he can’t help but grit his teeth, his frame shaking as he strains to roll his hips back into the deep, rolling pressure of Adam’s own, panting softly to himself as his blood shudders with heat. “Ah~..C-Can’t help it..Ah..”

"Try and be quiet for me. Wouldn't want to get caught, now would we?" He smirks, suckling against his throat, and slowly starts undoing Pentious's pants with one hand. His other palms over the growing bulge there. "Mm~" He captures his lips again, pressing closer against him.

_ “Mmmph~!” _ He can’t help but moan into Adam’s lips the moment they make contact, shuddering and shaking at the luscious purr in the man’s voice, but as well as the searing pleasure of his hand, delicately rubbing and grinding his palm against his cock through the fabric of his pants, causing his spine to shudder, his frame to quiver. He moans and whimpers into the kiss, hips starting to weakly roll into the pleasure, into the sensation of his palm, letting his own hands slide up and down the length of Adam’s spine, one hand moving to slide into the man’s hair, stroking it, clutching it with an almost feverish passion.

He holds back on his moans, letting out small puffs of air as their kissing gets rougher, more animated, and pulls his pants away and shimmying them down his legs. He grips his cock, stroking a few times and squeezing playfully. "Mmph, so lovely~" His lips come crashing back to him, muffling a moan as his hair is pulled.

Pentious can’t help but let his spine arch against the wall as he feels the sensation of a warm hand wrap around his cock, the cold sensation of the city’s frigid air greeting his legs making him shudder, making his muscles draw taut in an effort to keep himself from toppling, and he wraps an arm around Adam’s torso, a leg slowly lifting up to brush against the man’s hip. “Mmmph~...Mmm.. _ Hmmm..” _ He feels his eyes flutter as Adam’s hand slide against his cock, stroking,  _ squeezing, _ moaning into the kiss, the hand on the back of Adam’s head pushing their kiss deeper, deeper, letting his tongue slide out to drag over his bottom lip.

_ "Mmmn~" _ The moan comes out as more of a growl, his mouth opening for his tongue. One of his hands moves to hold his leg, the other pulling away from his cock to undo his own pants, pressing his tongue into his mouth to make up for the loss and rocking his hips against him.

The sensation of that tongue pressing against his own, still tasting the flavor of that steak, tasting of the metal tang of blood, is enough to leave Pentious’s whole frame quivering, and though his cock twitches with a painful throb as the warmth of Adam’s hand pulls away from it, he can’t help but moan into the kiss, shaking as the pressure of the man’s rolling hips has his back arching against the brick wall. He manages to unbutton a single button on Adam’s shirt, taking the opportunity to slide a hand beneath to palm over his chest, his other hand still clutching his hair, still stroking it, eyes rolling back ever so slightly from the bliss. “‘Mmn~...Mmmph~..”

Adam hums softly against him, managing to free his cock from his pants, and grabs him under his thighs to pull him up onto his hips, pressing against him and letting their cocks rub against each other. "Mm~..." He rolls against him, tongue exploring his mouth, groaning at the friction between them.

“Mmmph~..Mmm..” One of Pentious’s hands slides around to stroke his back, up and down, up and down, the soft fabric of his glove sliding against his bare skin, all the while his own hips weakly roll and thrust against Adam’s own, moaning at the feeling of his own spine being pressed so heavily against the wall, at being held by his legs, at the burning pleasure of their cocks grinding together. He manages to pull his lips back just enough to catch a breath, panting softly, eyes foggy with lust, whimpering. “Hhnn~..Mmm..Do..Do you have..a packet?”

"Of course I do." He pants as well, hiding it by pressing his lips to his pulse, suckling. "It's in my front pocket. Can you grab it?" He squeezes his hips, nibbling along his jaw and up to his ear.

“Nnn~..Y-Yeah, of course..H-Hahh~..Oh  _ God~..” _ He shudders, tilting his head back, whimpering at the feeling of those lips sliding against his skin, his hand finally sliding away from the interior of Adam’s shirt to carefully slide two fingers into the man’s pocket, and after a moment of brief fumbling, he manages to pull it out.

Adam suckles his earlobe, biting softly, and pulls back as he feels Pentious pull out the small vial of oil. He holds out a hand between them and kisses him softly. "Can you put some on my hand?"

“Nngh~..Y-Yeah..Yeah..” Pentious shudders softly at the feeling of lips on his ear, at the sound of Adam’s voice purring so close to his skin, and he feels his cheeks burn as he moves to clumsily undo the cap to the tube, finally managing to snap it open long enough to pour a good amount onto the man’s hand, carefully to not waste too much. “There..”

He spreads the oil between his fingers, trailing kisses along his jaw and to his lips, humming. He brings his hand between and under them, rubbing a finger over Pentious's hole, probing gently. After a short moment, he presses a finger into him, gently crooking his finger and thrusting softly.

Pentious, shuddering softly as Adam’s lips trail along his jaw, slowly manages to recap the tube and stuff it back into its place in Adam’s pocket, just as those lips press against his, just as he feels the soft chill of wet fingers slowly slide up against his hole, and he can’t help but whimper at the feeling, his back arching, his muscles shuddering, legs weakly squeezing down against his hips. His eyes flutter shut as he feeling a finger slide in, feels it crook, and he can’t help but groan, his cock twitching, throbbing almost violently. “Mmmph~..Mmm..”

"Mm~...." He wriggles his finger in further, slipping his tongue into his mouth again. He can't help but shudder against him, feeling him twitch and shake around him, hearing those needy moans muffled against his lips. He slows down and adds a second finger,  _ slowly _ easing into him. Slower than usual too. He smirks against his lips.

“Mmmmph~!” Pentious can’t help but moan even louder at the feeling of that second finger sliding in, at the feeling of his hole being filled, being  _ stretched, _ and he can feel the way Adam’s lips stretch into a smirk, feel the almost sadistic grin grow on his face, and it has his cock twitch. He tightens his grip against the man’s body, trying to thrust his hips against his fingers, against his own hips, shuddering at the feeling, at the aching feeling of want and need that was flooding his body, cock hard and throbbing against Adam’s stomach, and he whines yet again into his mouth.

“Patience, darling.” He chuckles lightly, pecking the corner of his lip. “You wouldn’t want anyone to hear us, would you?” He thrusts his fingers into him, smirking all the while, and gently rolls his hips against him.

“A-Ahh~...Hhh~....I..I’m trying...” His breathing comes out as a heavy pant, his whimpers and moans fluctuating at dangerous levels, trembling in his throat, even with the cushions of Adam’s lips to drown them. He feels those fingers thrust, feels them  _ curl _ as Adam’s hips press up against his own, and his spine curves into the feeling, head tipping back as he desperately clasps a hand to his mouth, trying to muffle his own sounds. “Mmm~..Mmm~..”

“I’m almost tempted to draw this out, just to see what might happen.” He presses his tongue to his throat, lavishing him in kisses even as his fingers pick up their pace a bit, thrusting and stretching him more.

_ “Mmmph~ _ .. Mmm..” His eyes squeeze shut simply from the euphoria of that feeling, of those fingers sliding  _ deeper, _ faster, and his legs squeeze against Adam’s waist just so he doesn’t start squirming. “Mm..” He slides his hand off his mouth just enough to speak. “I..I don’t think..you’d be able to control yourself..Hahh~..” One soft moan slips out before he slides his hand back over his mouth, cock throbbing almost violently, whimpering to himself.

“Mm, maybe. But I’m not the one about to be  _ fucked _ am I?” He shudders at the feeling of those legs tightening against him even more, the small gasps and moans Pentious was just barely able to contain, and he crashes their lips together again, shivering against him and crooking his fingers, thrusting deeper into him, eager for  _ more. _

The sound of Adam’s voice, cooing against his throat, dripping with need, with  _ hunger, _ has Pentious’s breath catching, his blood shuddering, and when he feels a hand curl around his own to pull it away from his mouth, the whole of his spine arches as lips slam into his own.  _ “Mmmph~!” _ The kiss is enough to leave him shuddering, and all he can think to do is to wrap his arms around Adam’s back, squeezing him closer, squeezing him  _ tightly, _ all the while he desperately moves to roll his hips, to thrust them back against Adam’s probing, thrusting fingers, shaking and moaning into the kiss, feeling his cock  _ pulse _ with pleasure, with need. “Mmm!  _ Mmmm~!” _

He groans into his mouth, thrusting harder, listening to his moans grow in octave before. It was addicting, listening to his voice like this. He lets him keen, rolling against him, and then stops his hand entirely. As much as he’d love to watch him squirm and writhe, he’d much rather watch him do the same on his cock.

It takes a couple of moments for Pentious himself to stop wriggling, for the pleasure to run its course through his body, and when he does, he can’t help but whimper, pulling back from the kiss to pant, quivering, his cock almost painfully hard against Adam’s stomach. “Nnn~..Why..Why did you stop?”

Adam chuckles, kissing his cheek, and slips his fingers out of him. “Well, you didn’t  _ quite _ use the entire vial, so why don’t you tell me?” He rolls his hips in emphasis.

“Ahh~..” He shudders and quivers at the feeling of Adam’s hips rolling, of the kiss on his cheek, and after a moment of silence, he feels his cheeks burn, a trail of heat crawling down his spine, and he bites his lip as he moves to retrieve the tube yet again, this time, pausing to pull off one of his gloves with his teeth, letting it drop before moving to empty the rest of the oil on his own hand. He shudders as he moves to take ahold of Adam’s cock, slowly stroking, slowly pumping his hand, up and down, up and down, taking care to swipe his thumb over the tip, to palm his hand over his shaft, squeezing down ever so softly. “How..How’s that?”

“Mmm, perfect~” He shudders, mouthing under his jaw, softly rocking into his hand. _ “Mm, _ tell me what you want me to do to you.”

“Hahh~..” He gasps softy as he feels his head being pushed upwards, his vision being pushed upward toward the skies as lips and tongue trail over his jaw, and he can’t help but squeeze his hand over Adam’s cock, pumping just a bit faster, a bit harder. “Nnn~..I..I want you to..” He bites his lip after a moment. “..I want you to fuck me..”

_ “Mmmn~” _ He shudders, suckling over a small mark he had made near his collar. He rolls his hips into his hand, pressing against him with each thrust and rocking him against the wall. “How much do you want me?”

“H- _ Hhh~!” _ His back arches, spine tingling, frame drawing taut as his blood simmers with lust, a moan catching in his throat as he’s pressed harder and harder up against the wall. He lets his hand squeeze down harder over his cock, his other hand clutching the fabric of Adam’s shirt, trying to keep himself from keening. “I..Hahh~..I want you. I-I want you so much, Nnn~... _ Chuckaboo..” _

_ “Ahh~” _ He bucks at the squeeze, shuddering and pressing his face into his shoulder to muffle a moan, cock twitching at the breathy words and pet name. He squeezes his thighs, shuddering again. “Nnn, I spoil you too much, don’t I?”

“Hahh~..Heh..” A soft chuckle makes it through his lips, and Pentious takes the time to press his lips to his forehead, even as he squeezes his cock, gives it another soft stroke. “Mmm..I would say so..”

Adam smirks, raising his head and kissing him softly. “Mm, you’re lucky I’m all done with teasing for the day.” He pulls his hand away and kisses his wrist, moving to position himself against his entrance, shivering. “Beautiful,  _ beautiful _ man...”

He shivers at the feeling of the kiss, at the sensation of his voice crawling around his skin, and when he feels Adam’s cock slowly move to brush against his entrance, he feels the entirety of his spine shudder, feels his own cock twitch, and he takes great care in keeping his oiled hand away from Adam’s skin, his other moving to wrap around his shoulder, clutching his back almost desperately. “Mmm~...Ahh~...Ohh..Come on, chuckaboo.. _ Come on..” _

He lowers his hand, pulling a handkerchief from his back pocket and cleaning Pentious’ hand of oil. He presses into him, groaning, and buries his face in his neck again.  _ “Hhnn~...” _

Pentious can’t help but shudder, gasping, as he begins to feel the sensation of being filled, of Adam pressing into him, his hole stretching, burning in a manner that only leave his own welling desire shuddering for more. His hand moves to clutch Adam’s own, squeezing down desperately, as he begins to roll his hips, whimpering, trying to bite his lip to keep his own stifled noises quiet, from rising any more than they already have. “Hhhh~...Mmmm~..”

“Ahh~....” Adam eases into him further, panting as he feels his cock enveloped by warmth, and squeezes Pentious’s hand in return. He rolls against him, whining at the pleasure filling him.

“Ahh~..Hahh...” He moves to bury his face into Adam’s shoulder in order to muffle the sounds, in order to drown out his own moans, shaking and shuddering as he moves to thrust, to roll his hips accordingly, gasping at the feeling of the oil sliding all over his skin, at the sensation of his hole stretching further as he’s filled, his thighs quivering, cock throbbing, already starting to drip with pre-cum. “F-.. _ Fuck~..” _

Pentious’s voice, whimpering and tense and hot against his throat, sends a shudder through his body, and he feels himself level off within him, pressed as tightly as possible against the man. He spares a small moment to take in the feeling, then pulls his head back, lifts Pentious’ jaw, and presses their lips tightly together as he pulls out and slams back into him.  _ “Mmm~” _

_ “Mmmmph~!” _ The muffled keen from Pentious’s lips is almost loud enough to echo within the inclosed space, within the darkness of the alley, and within an instant, both of the man hands are clinging to Adam’s back, clutching his clothes in fistfuls and digging his fingers in, his thighs quivering from how desperately they’re trying to clench, and his eyes squeeze shut as he feels his cock  _ throb _ against Adam’s stomach. One hand moves down his back to cup his ass, to  _ squeeze, _ to  _ yank _ him even closer, his heart pounding in his chest like a drum. “Mmm~, Hmmm~, Mmm...”

_ “Hahh~!” _ Adam gasps at the feeling of hands on his ass, pulling him, and snaps his hips into him. He smirks against his lips. “So needy.” He covers his mouth with his own, biting and suckling his lip, moaning at the feeling of friction and tightness surrounding him.

The sting of Adam’s hips  _ snapping _ up against his own is enough to get him to gasp, to shudder, his clothes scraping against the rough brick of the wall, and it takes all of his concentration to not moan out loud, letting it be swallowed up by yet another passionate kiss that comes his way. He lets his hands squeeze down again on Adam’s rear, lets himself roll against the searing bliss of his cock, thrusting deep into his insides, and the sting of teeth against his lip, followed by the taste of copper, of his own blood, being enough to make him groan, eyes rolling back ever so slightly. “Mmmph~!”

“Mmmmm~...” He props one arm against the wall beside his head, rolling steadily into him, trying to keep the sound of their hips hitting each other to a minimum despite the heat growing in his stomach. His lips sloppily cover Pentious’s, tongue flicking out and worming its way into his lips, eager to feel even more contact. His pace quickens as their tongues make contact with each other, groaning into his mouth.

_ “Mmm, _ Mmmph~..Mmmnn~..” Pentious’s voice was being slowly reduced to a whimpering wreck as their kiss grows deeper, as their tongues make contact, and with every harsh, soft slap of their hips making contact, his hands squeeze, his spine arches, and he has to desperately lean into the embrace just to make sure the kiss doesn’t break. He quivers against him, feeling his cock  _ pulse, _ feeling it throb, and the sounds of his own pre-cum,  _ dripping _ down against the ground, is enough to have his cheeks  _ burn. _

Adam groans again, feeling Pentious squirm under and against him, trying everything he can to keep him close and moving faster, and he indulges him for it, eager for more of those small, helpless noises vibrating against his lips. His hips snap harder, the sound growing and reason starting to leave him. Harsh puffs of air escape his nose, fingers clawing into the brick wall.

The fierce snap of those hips crashing into his own only grows harder, grows  _ deeper, _ grows  _ fiercer, _ and it’s enough to leave Pentious feeling as if his blood is about to turn into flames within his veins, his breathing getting harder and harder with each and every thrust, each and every harsh slam that leaves his back scraping against the wall and his thighs desperately clenching down on those hips. He lets himself burrow his tongue into the kiss even harder, squeezes down even harder on Adam’s ass, and he starts to snap his hips right back, as best he can, the rhythm only getting stronger, faster,  _ heavier. _ “Mmmph, Mmm, Mmmnph~!  _ MMmmm!” _

He slams into him, breaking the kiss to start panting, a low moan stealing from his lips.  _ “Fuck~ Hnngh....” _ He bites his lip, each thrust harder than the last, chasing that incredible high. He brings a hand between them, gripping Pentious’ cock and stroking, groaning again at the feeling of pre-cum on his fingers.

_ “Hhaahhh~! _ ” Pentious’s whole spine seems to lift off the wall at once as soon as he feels that hand close over his cock, his thighs quivering, his hips arching upwards, and he has to bring an arm up to his mouth to bite at his own coat sleeve as a makeshift gag, gasping and quivering and  _ keening _ into his own clothes, just barely muffling the sound, his face contorted into a look of drowning pleasure and passion. He braces his other arm against the wall, hips thrusting back even harder, rougher, his ankles lifting up to cross against Adam’s back. “MMMmmmph~!”

_ “Nngh! _ Hahh~...” He bites his lip as the position changes ever so slightly, as Pentious writhes against him and all but  _ bucks _ into him. The sound coming from between them was messy, lewd, sticky. He shudders, thrusting faster, harder, anything to get more noise out of the man in front of him, get him panting and coming and a flustered, tired mess. He feels those legs tighten around him and starts jerking his wrist in time with his thrusts, relentless, swiping his thumb over his tip every time.

An almost desperate strangled hissing noise rang between Pentious’s clenched teeth, as if he was biting back a scream of bliss and was clenching his teeth around the cloth of his coat as much as he possibly could, and his hips practically  _ grind _ against Adam’s own every time they collide, with every sinfully wet  _ slap, _ and his whole spine practically  _ snaps _ forward as his hips begin to spasm, begin to jerk in an almost violent fashion. Within seconds, with a keening cry, Pentious feels himself climax, his cock  _ pulsing _ as streams of bright white fluid begin pouring down his shaft, splattering up against Adam’s stomach, his torso, even a few drops managing to land on his very  _ chest. _

_ “Fuck!” _ Adam jerks into him, the tightness doubling around him, and he groans harshly, watching the bliss take over Pentious, snapping his hips a few more times and coming inside him harshly, shuddering from head to toe and rolling against him weakly.  _ “Fuck...” _

Pentious’s whole frame  _ quivers _ at the feeling of Adam’s release spilling inside him, splashing within him like a torrent, his own hips still quivering, still shaking, his back twitching almost violently against the wall, his eyes foggy with arousal as they slide back open, staring towards the sky. His sleeve was still clamped between his teeth, and after a moment, he lets it fall, panting into the open air. “Hahh~...Hahh~...Ahh~..”

He pants, watching Pentious for a moment before dropping his head onto his shoulder, refusing to think anything beyond  _ Gods that was brilliant. _ He doesn’t want to move, doesn’t want to let go of the man he’s holding. If he could stay like this for the rest of his life, he’d die a content man, no doubt about it.

The silence lasts for at least a good minute before Pentious slowly lifts up a hand to card through Adam’s hair, chuckling weakly. “..Mm..Don’t go all exhausted on me, chuckaboo..”

“Mm, just one more moment.” He smirks against his throat and takes another breath, enjoying the feeling of his hand in his hair, and then straightens and presses his lips against his forehead. He slowly pulls himself out of him, shuddering as cool air whisks past them. “Mmm...”

_ “Hhhh~..” _ His back slowly arches upwards as he feels the fullness of Adam’s cock slowly slip out, and the thick, warm fluid dripping downwards as he finally pulls himself free is enough to make Pentious  _ shudder. _ “Ohhh~..”

Adam holds him as they both adjust, shivering one more time. “Mm, we’re both messes now. I vote going through the back of the hotel.”

“Mmmm...I think so too..” He sighs softly, nuzzling the soft fluff of Adam’s hair, pressing a tender kiss to his scalp. “..I know I’ll certainly be exhausted. You’re buying me breakfast in the morning.”

He laughs, smirking at that. “Doesn’t sound like much of a punishment. But I’ll take it.” He hums and raises his head to kiss him gently. “Okay. Time to clean up.”

•••

The door slowly creaks open, carefully, and it takes a few moments of silence for the door to open all the way, Pentious letting out a sigh of relief as he strides towards the bed, the one that was now empty and bereft of any child that had been sleeping in it before. He moves to sit down, wincing heavily he does so, bracing his hands against the lower part of his back to rub it. “Hnnn...I think I’ve certainly done enough walking around tonight..”

“You don’t say.” Adam follows him, the front of his dress shirt a mess of stains that were going to be a nightmare to get out. He starts undoing the buttons, pulling his bowtie off in a slick motion. He sits down beside him, nuzzling his cheek. “I hope I wasn’t too rough with you.”

Pentious shivers a touch at the nuzzle, but moves his head to the side to press a soft kiss to his lips, smirking slightly. “Darling, you could  _ never.” _ He moves to shrug off his coat, tossing it to the floor, as well as unbuttoning his shirt, exposing the skin beneath. “I’ve just reached my walking limit for the night is all. You know how it is.”

“I’m certain  _ walking _ was all that filled your quota.” He smirks at the kiss, shrugging out of his button up and standing to go and set it in water. Better than nothing. “God, it feels later than usual.”

“Mmm..Probably because it is..” He suppresses a yawn in his words, and he finally moves to shrug off his shirt, exposing his bare chest in its entirety, bending over to start pulling off his shoes.

"We weren't out for  _ so _ long." Adam kicks off his own shoes, pulling his pants away and folding them and setting them on top of his shoes next to his side of the bed. He crawls over the covers to kneel behind Pentious, pulling his hair aside to kiss the back of his neck, arms moving to hold him. "Mm, I could sleep like this."

Pentious shivers a touch at the kiss, at the feeling of a warm chest against his back, and can’t help but smirk a touch at that. “Mm..Could you?” He moves to start shrugging off his own pants, though he merely throws them onto the floor, leaning back into the embrace.

"The most handsome man in the world in my arms, and a comfortable bed with  _ two _ blankets?" He kisses his cheek, chuckling. "It's like a dream come true."

That earns a soft chuckle from Pentious, and after a moment, he moves to pull back the covers, momentarily pulling away from the embrace to climb beneath them. “Something tells me you didn’t sleep in a bed with two blankets before.”

"Usually only one." He shifts back and climbs under the covers, then snuggles up against Pentious's side. "And that was only as an adult. Before then? Hah! I'd have been insane."

“Hmm..” He briefly nuzzles his cheek into a pillow in order to get more comfortable, before smirking. “When the world is mine, our bed will have as many blankets as you want on them.”

Adam grins widely, nestling against his chest. "I suppose that means I'll have to make quite a few breakfasts in return."

“Mm. I might just take you up on that offer.” He pauses to press a kiss to his shoulder, a hand sliding softly up and down his spine. “Trust me, my dear...When I finally rule, I’ll have the whole of the world shout your praise to the rooftops..”

"Mm..." He shivers lightly, enjoying the feeling of those thin fingers on his back. He let's his eyes close. "That does sound nice... Mm..."

“Heh..” His eyes slide closed, and he nuzzles himself closer, chest to chest, able to feel his heartbeat, soft and steady. “..Good night, chuckaboo...”

"Good night, lovely." His words come out slightly slurred, and within a few minutes, lulled by the weight of the blankets and the heat emanating from the body beside him, he's asleep.

It doesn’t take long for Pentious to fall asleep either, relaxing into the embrace of Adam’s arms, nuzzling the crook of his neck in a sleepy manner before finally closing his eyes.


End file.
